The Immortal Principal
by Yoda1976
Summary: When Principal Snyder is eaten by a vampire on Parent Teacher night, a new principal takes over and he has plans for Buffy. Plans that the Watcher Council will not like.
1. The New Principal

**AN****: ****Ok ****guys****. ****I****'****m ****not ****dead****. This is a repost, the title has changed and I've cleaned up a few errors. Enjoy and I will have chapters two and three up in a few minutes.**

**Of ****course ****Buffy ****belongs ****to ****the ****genius ****that ****is ****Joss ****and ****the ****Immortal ****concept ****belongs ****to ****whoever ****actually ****owns ****it****, ****I ****tried ****to ****find ****out ****but ****the ****minute ****and ****a ****half ****I ****devoted ****to ****the ****search ****turned ****up ****nothing ****concrete****.**

_In __every __generation__, __there __is __a __Chosen __One__. __She __alone __will __stand __against __the __Vampires__, __the __Demons__, __and __the __Forces __of __Darkness__. __She __is __the __Slayer__._

Ian Stone walked up to the school. He was early, most of the faculty hadn't even woken up yet, he supposed. School wasn't supposed to start until eight thirty and dawn was still an hour away, but he'd come from the Isles and hadn't fully adjusted to the new time zone. He took a deep breath of the autumn air and found it lacking the invigorating chill of his native Ireland. Back home, the trees would be starting to change colors, here they were palms, green all year because it barely got below ten degrees centigrade, or 50 in the infernal Fahrenheit that Americans clung to like outdated, worn-out socks. He sighed, slightly depressed that he'd never see his breath in this god-forsaken town, but he had a purpose here, and Ian had never let creature comforts sway him from his purpose.

He walked into the building, and as he made his way to the office with a box of personal items, he was pleased to see the repairs from the attack had been nearly completed, however, given the history of the high school and the town in general he wasn't really surprised the local contractors were good. He headed to his new office, hoping the things the weasel that formerly occupied it had left would be gone by now and he'd be able to really get things off to a good start. He arrived at the office he sighed; most of the former principal's stuff was still there. Didn't the man have a wife to clean up after him after he was killed? Then he remembered just whom he was replacing and shook his head, no that man had never known the touch of a woman, or at least a sane one. Ian suppressed a shudder at the thought and set the box down, and he started to settle in as best as he could.

The first thing he did was look at the student files, but he didn't just start in the A's, he went through them as if looking for a specific name, and he found it, and pulled the bulging folder out of the file and laid it on his desk. He began going through it the expression on his face growing more and more dark, once he was done his face was one of near pure rage. He closed up the file of Buffy Summers and put it back in the file drawer.

"Go on in, he's expecting you," the principal's secretary said. Buffy gave her a wan smile, and opened the door. She hadn't expected for there to be a new principal for months, but here he was, only three weeks after the possibly tragic death of Principal Snyder on Parent-Teacher Night. Her mother was starting to go back to regular-mom attitude, demon and vampire activity had begun to pick back up after St. Vigeous night, and now there was a new principal. She sighed, and turned the handle. The man was standing behind the desk, which had been cleared of all things Snyderish, even the blotter. There was a box of stuff in one of the chairs, and she schooled her curiosity enough to keep from peeking the instant she saw it.

The principal had his back turned to her, but she could see he had a full head of dark hair, with maybe a tinge of red, but it was brown. The sun shining brightly through the window did give it nice highlights though. He was well muscled under his suit, which seemed to be tailored to accentuate that fact. She shook her head, wondering how someone who was a principal at a high school could afford such a thing. Or if he could, why he would take a job as a principal. He turned to her, and she could see that he had been looking through a very familiar folder—hers. "Miss Summers," he said, and his deep voice had a rumbly quality that didn't quite fit with his body. His accent was thick, but she could still understand him.

"Please, have a seat."

She sat glumly, and started, "Look, I know my file looks bad…"

"Bad? Bad, you say? It looks horrific. If I believed half of what was in there, I would say that you belonged in…what do they call it here, juvie? Yes. I believe that is it," he said, stroking his beard and sitting in the chair. He threw her file on to the desk. "Fortunately, I don't believe the rubbish this Snyder slime wrote about you. Well, some of it I believe. But selectively. You were kicked out of Hemery because the gymnasium burned down."

"Yeah, I guess it was kind of my fault," she said, twisting her hands in her lap nervously.

"I somehow doubt that. Arson doesn't seem to be one of your big ideals in life, Miss Summers."

She looked at him like he'd lost his mind somewhere in the middle of his sentence. "No, not really," she agreed finally.

"Nor does it seem to be getting your classmates killed. Despite the fact that six of your classmates have died since you came to this school, your class has the lowest mortality rate for this school in recent memory. In fact, the school's dropout rate due to death is lower overall by at least thirty percent in the last year."

She perked up at that one. "Really?"

"Really. No one bothers to tell you that you make a difference, do they?"

Caught, she looked at him with wide-eyed innocence. "What?"

"You used to be a very good student, well above average when you came here. I understand that you are only barely passing most of your classes so far this year. Snyder was keeping very close track of you, and I will be as well."

She hung her head, not sure whether she liked this new principal or not. "That's really…"

"Absolutely necessary. You are a very important young woman. If you need help in keeping up with your classes, let me know. I am here because I intend that you walk across that stage at graduation with everyone else. If you need help with that, we need to nip it in the bud, and you need to stay up with your classes. I will arrange tutors for you as necessary. All you have to do is ask."

"Ok," she said, wanting to believe that this guy really wanted to help her out. "That's really nice of you, sir."

"Ach, don't call me 'sir,' Miss Summers, this 'Principal Stone' bit is going to be hard enough as it is, I think," he looked at her for a moment. "Go on, get to class. Don't need you dilly-dallying and missing more than you already do. The secretary will write you an excuse."

He folded her file up, and she stood, "Two more things. If you've got to go mitching off, drop by and tell someone, eh, and when you see Mr. Giles ask him to stop by at his earliest convenience , please?"

She simply nodded, having really no idea what he was talking about. She stopped by the secretary's desk for her excuse, then headed to see Giles before she went to class.

"Buffy, good morning," he said, adjusting his glasses.

"We have a new principal," she told him. "And he talks funny."

"What do you mean?"

"He told me that I should drop by and tell someone before I go mitching off. I don't know what he means."

"Oh," Giles said, scratching the back of his neck. "I haven't heard that in a while. Is he British by any chance?"

"He's Irish, I think," she said, wrinkling her nose and hopping up onto the counter. "He said he wanted to talk to you. What does 'mitching off' mean?"

"Oh, playing truant, uh, skipping school."

"Why would he want me to tell him if I'm skipping school?" she asked, then she grew quiet for a moment then said, "That isn't the only thing that was weird about the conversation. He talked about the student mortality rate and how it dropped and he seemed to know I was responsible for it. Giles, could he know I'm the Slayer?"

"I suppose anything is possible. What else did he say?"

"That he intends to see me graduate, he offered to get me tutors or any help I required," she paused for a moment then continued. "Giles he's up to something, he has to be!"

"Now, now Buffy, calm down. It might be that he really wants to help. What is his name?"

"His name plate said Ian Stone," pronouncing Ian with a long 'I'.

Giles took his glasses off and cleaned them, looking thoughtful, "It's Ian, actually," he said absently, pronouncing Ian with a short 'I'. "Older gentleman?"

"No, I think he's younger than you are," Buffy said and tilted her head questioning the disappointed look on Giles face at the news.

"That eliminates that possibility, then," he said, sounding as disappointed as he looked.

"What's with the mopey?"

"Uh? Oh…I just thought for a second I might know him, but that was twenty years ago and if our new principal is as young as you say there is no way it could be him. You had better get on to class."

_**London**__**, 1977**_

Ian Stone walked into the classroom. It was his first class in some time; the Watcher Council waxed and waned in their trust in him, but had never given him enough of it to let him out into the field. He'd been stuck in the library for a couple of centuries, and had taken the time to read almost every book there. It was an impressive feat, even for an Immortal.

He held his roll sheet up, starting to read off the names. It was a mixed class. The youngest was someone still in high school; their first class. The oldest was a recent appointee to the actual Council. Most of the students were trainee Watchers, but there were enough full-fledged Watchers that the class should prove quite interesting. "Merrick Flanders?"

"Present," said one of the fledgling Watchers. They had grouped together away from the full-fledged Watchers.

"Alfred Giles."

"Present," this from one of the older Watchers.

"Rupert Giles."

"Call me Ripper," said a bubblegum-chewing, leather-jacket clad angry teen in the front row. The previously called Alfred Giles scowled at the younger member of his family.

He nodded to 'Ripper' and went on with the roll.

After a few more names, all full-fledged Watchers, and boring to look at, he got to an interesting one, "Deirdre Page."

"Here," she waved at him. She was clad in the fashion of the time, which, in his mind, looked absolutely ridiculous. She was also firmly attached to the student he pegged as being the most problematic.

"Gwendolyn Post."

"Present," said a snippy little bird of a woman, who, despite her young appearance, was dressed in the manner that most of the full-fledged Watchers were.

"Quentin Travers."

"Present," said the gentleman he'd been told had recently been appointed to the Council.

A few more names rounded the class out to 20. It was a good number, and from the sound of it, he would be teaching another class after this one. Enrollment was always good when the Council deigned him worthy of imparting his knowledge on their young, impressionable members. "Alright, then," he said, "As I am sure you've been told when you were enrolling in this class, I am the Council's foremost expert on Slayer prophecy, and I'm here to tell you that we live in exciting times. There have been signs recently that the Council has sought for centuries. As you know, Slayers have their own form of prophecy, completely separate from prophecy about them, but that becomes intertwined in everything as well. We don't have many perfect seers around, ever, so when they come around, much of what they say is written down. In this class, we will be discussing what has been said, what has been extrapolated from what's been said, and where that ties in to what Slayer dreams have been enigmatically unfulfilled."

_**Present**__**day**_

Ian was busy with the mundane tasks of running an American high school. He was astonished at the amount of freedom the Yanks gave their students, or maybe it was because it had been so long since he'd been a student that practices had changed. It wouldn't be the first time. One of the things he was doing was meeting with each student, in order of the thickness of their files. Partially he was doing this to make his meeting with Buffy not stand out, but secondly he really did want to make a difference for these kids. Every one of them had had a raw deal being born in Sunnydale.

There was a tap at his door, that startled him out of his reading and he said, "Enter," then smiled as the door opened, "Hello, Rupert."

Rupert hesitated, and Ian knew why. The only change in his physical appearance was the beard that he'd been growing over the last year. He sighed mentally, knowing he'd kept this persona too long. Way too long, if the look on his old student's face was any judge. The windows were open, that was intentional, the sunlight streaming in happened to be hitting the bare flesh of his hands.

"What are you?" Giles asked.

"In due time. Now Please, come in, shut the door and sit down," he said. Giles shut the door and went over to a chair, but didn't sit. Ian sighed and continued. "I understand that you have the respect of a number of the students. I have heard nothing but praise for you as a helpful, caring member of this staff."

"Really? And to whom have you been speaking?"

"Oh, I thought I would start with the most…troubled students first. Buffy Summers has the thickest file I've ever seen for any student, even yours, and she's only been here a year. The file does not contain anything from her previous school other than her transcript, and a short description of the incident that got her expelled."

"Yes, Principal Snyder did not care for Buffy in the slightest, but why does she interest you so much?"

"She's the Slayer, there's more but it will have to wait for just a moment," Ian said.

"No, it won't wait for just a moment, I'm her Watcher…wait, the Council didn't send you to…?"

"No, no nothing like that, Rupert. The Council doesn't know I'm even here. I must say I'm in rather bad odor with them at the moment," Ian said, and allowed a small smile to come to his face at Giles' look of relief.

"Then why are you here? Buffy is obviously at the heart of whatever it is."

Ian sighed, this wasn't going the way he'd hoped, yet maybe this would be better, "Very well, it has to do with why I was sacked, Rupert."

"They sacked you? You were the foremost expert on Slayer prophecies!"

"I still am, and they sacked me because they are a bunch of pompous, sexists windbags that can't wipe themselves after taking a shit without feeling overly self-important about the matter," and Ian smiled as Giles stifled a chuckle. No he hadn't read Rupert Giles wrong at all, and was pleased that the last bit of capital he'd had with the Council had been so well spent in getting him named as Miss Summer's Watcher.

"Well, be that as it may, it doesn't explain what you are doing in Sunnydale, or why you haven't aged a day since I last saw you," Giles said after regaining his composure.

"Right, straight to the point. You deserve to know, but it isn't easy to stop keeping a secret," Ian said, taking out a knife, he handed it to Giles handle first.

"What is this for?" Giles asked, taking the blade.

"In case you don't believe me. I need you to believe what I'm about to tell you since I intend for us to work very closely together. To start with my real name, I am Ríoghbhardán O'Braonáin of Cill Eanaigh. I was born in the Year of our Lord 540 and I am Immortal."

"So you expect me to try to kill you to prove you can't die?" Giles asked.

"I'd rather you wouldn't, I still feel pain and it would be a bit messy," Ian said with a smile.

"Quite right," Giles agreed laying the knife on Ian's desk. "So you haven't aged in how long?" Giles asked.

"Since the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne in the Year of our Lord 561. I was twenty-one years old, or at least according to my parents I was 21. Records weren't the science they are today back then."

"What happened?" Giles asked, finally sitting down.

"Columba copied a book, the owner of the book didn't like it, and the High King agreed with the book's owner and three thousand strapping lads were slaughtered in what has to be the first case of someone overreacting to copyright infringement ever. It was on the blood soaked ground of Cúl Dreimhne that I was first slain. I was with Columba's kin's forces. The battle lasted for hours and I very nearly survived, just as the fight was winding down I got pierced by a spear. It pierced my heart and I bled out very quickly. I was probably dead for three or four hours. Fortunately they hadn't gotten around to burning me before I woke up."

"That must have been awful," Giles said.

"At first I thought I was just lucky, then I found my family and they were so scared. My father held a cross up. He thought I was a vampire, of course…well it's a long story and we have more important things to talk about."

"Do you know how it happened?" Giles asked.

"No, I don't know why I can't die but I have yet to suffer an injury that I haven't fully recovered from. I don't even scar, yet I have to eat, breathe and everything else that comes with a mortal life, I also have all the benefits of a mortal life save one."

"What is that?" Giles asked.

"As far as I know I can never father children. I have been married three times in the fifteen hundred years I've been alive and never fathered one child."

"I'm sorry, Ian," Giles said.

"Don't, Rupert. I've made my peace with it a long time ago. I've adopted a number of times to fill that void."

"Yet all of your friends, lovers, everyone you've ever known…you're doomed to see them all grow old and frail and pass to dust while you remain young and strong. I can't imagine what that must be like."

"You can't, not unless you happen to live for fifteen hundred years. Yet there are benefits, I've done things, seen things that most men dare not even dream of. Especially in most of the eras I've lived in. Anyway, we have a Slayer to discuss," Ian said with a note of finality.

"Yes, of course. What is it about Buffy that you wish to discuss?"

"First I want to say I'm impressed with the job you've done with her. You haven't tried to toe the Council's line on Slayers with her and I think it shows. Secondly I want to break even more of the Council's rules with her, if you are agreeable."

"Just what did you have in mind?" Giles said, smiling a little at the praise, then as Ian explained just what he intended to do Giles smile faded and by the time Ian was finished his jaw was nearly in his lap.

It was lunch and Xander grabbed the least offensive looking option, and today that was a baked potato. The hamburgers didn't look bad either, so he grabbed one of those. A few condiments and he would be good. He looked around, finding his favorite redhead at a table by herself, and so he grabbed what he needed and headed over to sit by her.

"Hi," she said as she noticed him, smiling as he sat down.

"Hi. So you hear that we have a new principal?"

"Yeah," Buffy said as she sat down, "Mister weird."

"Uh, I heard his name was Mister Stone," Xander put in.

"Yeah, I met with him a little while ago," Willow said.

"I had a note to go see him waiting for me in my first class," Buffy groaned.

"Wow, so you got to see him before me," Will said. "He's kind of young, don't you think?"

"He kinda looks like he's just out of college," Buffy agreed.

"Whoa, our new principal is like only a few years older than us?" Xander asked.

"Yeah, but he was, like, obsessively weird," Buffy told him. "Let's talk about something else, though. What are you doing for Halloween?"

"Well, that depends, what are you doing, Buffy?" Will asked.

"Probably crashing with the staying in and stuff. Giles says that Halloween is really quiet. I don't even have to patrol."

"We should do something together," Will said.

"Yeah, like get together and watch really bad horror movies on TV at Will's house," Xander said.

"That could be fun, but I think my parents are having a party. Maybe Buffy's house?"

"I don't think Mom will be having a party, so maybe, I'll ask."

"So, about this new principal of ours, what's he like?"

"He seemed really nice to me. He just asked me a couple of questions, and, well, I sort of babbled," Willow said, ringing her hands.

"What did you say?" Buffy asked seriously, putting her hand on Willow's arm.

"I talked about Giles, he asked. and that was about it. Oh, and if I liked my classes."

"That was all?" Buffy asked, wrinkling her nose. "He didn't ask me anything."

"That's probably because he actually read your file before he met with you. He seemed pleased that I was a good student," Will told them.

"Do you think he's going to be interested in talking to me?" Xander asked, horrified.

"Probably." Giles said, coming up behind them. " Mr. Stone is very thorough. A word, Buffy?"

"Hey, what's up, library man?" Xander asked.

"Oh, Principal Stone needs to talk to Buffy."

"Again?" Buffy asked.

"This should be the last time today, at least," Giles told them. Buffy rolled her eyes and got up, taking her sandwich with her.

"Thank you for coming down to see me Mrs. Summers, I know its short notice but I did want to discuss Buffy with you," Ian said.

"She's not in trouble is she?" Joyce almost groaned.

"No, of course not. Charming young lady as a matter a fact, definitely your influence no doubt. What gave you the idea…oh, yes…the incident at Hemery, rest assured Mrs. Summers that I will not judge Buffy on that incident unlike the self-important, odious toad Snyder. Forgive me. Characterizing him that way was out of line, and insulting to self-important odious toads."

"I'm relieved to hear that, Mr. Stone, and call me Joyce please," Joyce said, with a radiant smile and Ian felt his heart skip a beat at it. It occurred to him as she smiled she was a rather striking woman.

"Of course…Joyce. Now I did want to review a plan to keep Buffy up on her school work now that with the herculean efforts of both Miss Rosenberg and Buffy, herself, she is caught up on except for two classes," Ian said handing over Buffy's transcript to Joyce.

"I knew Willow was helping Buffy, but this is an amazing turn around for her," Joyce said, the smile warming.

"Even more so considering just how much class time she misses," Ian said.

"She's been missing class time?" Joyce said, the smile crashing.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Not because she wants to miss it mind you, but because she has to," Ian said seriously.

"What do you mean has to? Is she involved in some extracurricular activity I don't know about?" Joyce asked, confused.

"You could say that. What do you know about this school's mortality rate?" Ian asked.

"Never really thought about it, why? Is it higher than average?" Joyce asked.

"You could say that."

"How much higher?" Joyce asked, sounding concerned.

"Sunnydale High had the highest student mortality rate of all high schools in the United States last year. Here are the statistics, of course feel free to double check the numbers yourself."

"What does this have to do with Buffy?" Joyce asked.

"Everything. These are the student mortality rates for this year, Joyce," Ian said handing her the pages with the data. "They are a third lower than this time last year. Also look at the numbers from the time Buffy started attending Sunnydale High, there is a steep drop in student deaths starting practically from the day she started attending."

"What are you saying Mr. Stone?"

"Ian, please. What I'm saying Joyce is that Buffy has been instrumental in lowering those numbers. She's saving lives and that is why she misses classes," Ian said.

"Open House…the PCP gang? She helps stop them?" Joyce asked.

"That wasn't a gang on PCP. They were vampires," Ian said.

Joyce looked up as if she'd been slapped, "What did you say?"

"It might be best if Buffy was here for the rest of our conversation."

Giles wasn't sure that Buffy was entirely ready for what Ian was about to put her through, but with Ian backing him, it was possible that he could finally stand up to the Council where she was concerned.

The Council had not raised her from the time she was very young—as they had with so many other Slayers. They had identified her after she was called. It made her hard to work with, stubborn, untrusting of him and the motives of the Council, un-accepting of her destiny.

There was much that she was so unlike any other Slayer that he'd read about. "So what does he want to talk about that was important enough to interrupt lunch?" Buffy asked, bouncing along beside Giles.

"Oh. Principal Stone asked to see you. He thought it better to not pull you out of class again." Buffy seemed to wilt a bit.

"I got that, Giles," she said, then after a pause, "But what does he want with me now?"

"Something about your duties and responsibilities, I think."

"Ok, wait. Did you talk to him?"

"Yes, of course I did. He's been part of the Watcher Council for some time."

"So he knows."

"Yes."

"And that's ok?"

"It's, well, he won't be giving you to the Vampires, at least."

"Do you trust him?" Buffy asked, not sure what to make of Giles' last comment.

"I have much to think about on that subject, but if he stays true to the plans for you he was telling me, then I think this will be a good thing, if such a thing ever happens on the Hellmouth."

"He has plans for me? Why do I get this sinking feeling at that thought?"

"Because you are a suspicious girl, a quality that has probably saved your life on numerous occasions and a trait I fully intend to foster. However, I think you are overreacting in this case."

"But we are going to talk to him," she quickly stepped in front of him, stopping him. "Giles, this is a Bad Idea."

"Buffy, that is enough. At least give him a chance, will you?"

"Ok, I'll give him a chance. With luck he'll be eaten like the last two principals we've had," she said as she fell back into step with him.

"Buffy!"

"I'm sorry, I'll be good. I'll try to give him a chance. But if he turns into a giant bug or slimy thing can I kill him?"

"With my blessing," Giles said, sounding long suffering.

"Yay!" Buffy said, bouncing just a little, and a smile coming to her face for the first time since they had left the cafeteria. The smile disappeared when they opened the door to the office and Buffy saw her mother.

"Ah, good man, Rupert! Found our girl and brought her just in time. Capital, just capital." Mr. Stone said.

"Thank you, Ian. I do pride myself on my punctuality," Giles said.

"Glad to hear it, when you were in school, that wasn't quite the case if I remember," Mr. Stone said, and a chill ran down Buffy's spine.

"Mr. Giles used to teach you, Ian?" her mother said.

"No, Mrs. Summers. It was the other way around. Ian is older than he looks...much older," Giles said.

"Giles, what's going on? Why is my mother here?" Buffy asked, turning angrily on her Watcher.

"I think I can answer that, Buffy. I've been going over your history with your mother," Mr. Stone started.

"I knew it, I knew it. You're just like Snyder...no, you're worse than Snyder. Snyder never pretended for one minute that he did anything but despise me. What is it with you guys anyway?"

Mr. Stone stared at Buffy for a few moments, seemingly at a loss of words, then said, "Well, Buffy...it seems Mr. Snyder earned his death in more ways than I even knew about for you to have this level of hostility. I wasn't talking about your grades, or what Mr. Snyder put into your file, most of which I believe to be Slayer-related or utter and complete bilge. What I was sharing with your mother was what we talked about at our first meeting," Mr. Stone said, sounding truly concerned.

Buffy hung her head and said, "I'm sorry...that was uncalled for and I...wait, you TOLD my MOTHER!" her eyes flashed with fire as she looked up at him.

"Not everything, or rather not yet. I wanted you here when we gave her the 'One girl in all the world' speech."

"What are you talking about, Ian?" her mother asked.

"Well…Buffy is…" Mr. Stone began but was cut off by Buffy.

"Please, let me tell her."

"Very well. It is your destiny after all," Mr. Stone said, sounding—of all things—a little hurt. He sat down, settling back in his chair with his hands folded into his lap.

"Mom, remember back in L. A. when I started talking about vampires and everything?"

"No…not this again, Buffy. The doctors said you'd given up those fantasies," her mother said, sounding disappointed.

Buffy looked very hurt, crumpled, and Ian leaned forward, looking very directly at Joyce, "They aren't fantasies, Joyce," Mr. Stone said, suddenly sounding much older than he looked.

"You believe this, too?" her mother said.

"Yes, Mrs. Summers, he does because it's true," Giles spoke up, his voice soft.

Buffy knelt before her mother, "Mom, listen to me. I am the Vampire Slayer. The one girl in all the world..."

"I love this part," Mr. Stone said, then wilted as Buffy shot him a look, "Fine, fine, I'll be quiet."

"Thank you," Buffy said, rolling her eyes then continued, "The one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to defeat the Vampires and the demons and the forces of Darkness."

"I don't believe this…" her mother said.

"Mom…this isn't easy for me, I wanted to tell you for a long time, but the rules, which I'm assuming we are throwing out the window now," she paused for a quick look up at Giles, and with a nod from him, she continued, "forbid it."

"You are all insane…Buffy, go to the car. I'm taking you…" Joyce said caught up in what Buffy was starting to think of as Sunnydale syndrome.

Buffy stood, crossing her arms. "No, Mom. I need to stay here. I've done a lot of good. Remember the night Principal Snyder was killed?"

"Yes, the gang on PCP."

"They weren't on PCP, they were vampires."

"No...it can't be true," she was starting to look a little shell-shocked, and Giles was getting concerned that this was not precisely the way this needed to be going.

"Joyce, if you please...I think I have a demonstration that will provide some evidence that what Buffy is telling you is the truth. As the Slayer, she is gifted with great strength. Far greater than any girl of her stature should be able to achieve. If you would please, try and lift my desk," Mr. Stone said, again sounding much older than he looked.

"Ok…I don't know what it'll prove, this thing must weigh a hundred pounds easy," her mother positioned herself to get the best leverage on the desk, to her credit she was able to lift one end up about an inch. "Ugh…what do you keep in that thing? Lead bricks?"

"No, badly behaved students," Mr. Stone said and withered under the glares,

"Blimey…Snyder really was a killjoy wasn't he?" This he directed more at Giles, who again nodded.

"I suppose you want me to lift the desk now, right?" Buffy said, ignoring the comment.

"Well, well, beauty and brains. I bet the blokes at this school are just beating down your locker to carry your books."

"Not so much. The whole hanging around graveyards tends to scare away potential boyfriend material," Buffy said as she took her mother's former position and lifted the desk over her head with one hand, holding it like a serving tray. "Is this impressive enough?"

"Yes…very good Buffy," Giles said. Her mother's only response was to stare.

Buffy sat the desk back down and took her seat again, "Now do you believe me?" she asked her mother.

"I need a drink," her mother said. Buffy got up and got some water out of the cooler, the cone shaped paper cup dripped a little from the bottom. She handed it to her mother.

"Thank you, sweetheart, but I think I need something a little stronger than water," her mother said, drinking the water anyway. Then Mr. Stone reached behind his desk and produced a bottle of scotch.

"I think this will help, Joyce," he said as he poured her a shot of the amber liquid. She took the shot and downed it in a quick swallow.

"Thank you Ian."

"Are we done here? I do have class," Buffy said.

"Not quite yet, there is one more matter we need to discuss," Mr. Stone said turning and unlocking a filing cabinet, he opened it and pulled out maybe five or six sheets of paper, legal sized with tiny type on them.

"First we need to discuss your back pay," Mr. Stone said, flipping through the pages, he then looked confused, turned back to the file cabinet and snapped his fingers and produced another piece of paper.

"Back pay?" Buffy and her mother asked simultaneously.

"Yes, it's criminal that the Council doesn't pay you. That, among other opinions, is why I was sacked. As I wasn't able to get the Council to do right by the Slayers, I figured I might as well do it myself. As such I've created a fund, one that is self sustaining and fairly well impervious to the whims of the global economy, to pay you. Now unfortunately, so many Slayers don't have families, having been raised by the Council and when they die there's no one left to give their back pay to. You however, Buffy, are still very much alive and therefore entitled to back pay to the date you were first called. This check is a little bit over what is actually owed you by the formula I've come up with, but we can count that as interest against the delay. Here you go," Mr. Stone finally finished and handed Buffy the check-shaped piece of paper, it was indeed a check and Buffy looked at her Principal in shock.

_**London**__**, 1978**_

Ian was somewhat troubled as his class was winding down to a close, He hadn't gotten any sort of a response from his request for what he called the basic ethical treatment of the Slayers. Their newest slayer was a baby—fifteen—and she'd been raised by the Council in the 'proper' way, and didn't think that asking for anything was right. She was, in Ian's estimation, a slave, and he'd told the Council.

Quentin Travers came up to him. "What can I do for you, Quentin?" he asked, noting idly that he was losing his brogue a bit again. It was time to go home for a little while where people spoke properly.

"The Council wanted me to inform you that you will be relieved of your duties as soon as this class is over pending an investigation of your pernicious ideas, to see if we require your further services."

Ian sighed. He had never pissed the Council off this badly before, but it just wasn't right, the way they were treating this poor girl. She was being constantly compared to Nikki—hell, she'd been the Slayer for nearly a year and he hadn't even heard the girl's actual name. Crowley had come back from New York a broken man, and Ian could understand why. Nikki had been his shining star for seven years. "Seven by seven, and on the third shall she die."

"What?" Quentin asked.

"Nikki. It's the start of the prophecy of her death. It was unfortunate that no one believed me when I said it two months before she died."

"Well, be that as it may, I think that you are finished here. Your ideas are dangerous."

"What? That the Slayer should be treated as a human being?" he asked, and he was almost yelling.

A small scuffing sound alerted them to the presence of another person in the room.

"Oh, sorry, just forgot my books," Ripper said.

"That's alright, Mr. Giles. If you could run along now," Quentin said.

"Right then, cheerio," he said and hurried out of the door.

"Yes. The Slayer has been regarded for generations as something more and less than human. Born to humans, but apart from that life."

"Does that mean you think that Robin was an incorrect decision for Nikki?" Ian asked. Robin was a bit of a sore spot with the Council; Crowley had hidden her pregnancy and her affair from the Council, and was now taking the boy to raise, retiring from active Council life.

"Or would you have rather had her abort her child?"

"I know as an Irishman you have strong opinions about abortion, but considering her duties, I think, yes, that might have been a good option for her."

"Not as an Irishman, as a man. I do not like the idea of killing a child because the child is inconvenient. I have no children of my own, Quentin. Did you know that?"

"I didn't, but it still doesn't negate the fact that by getting pregnant, Nikki Woods was negligent in her duties."

"And how do you think Robin would feel about that?"

Quentin did at least have the good grace to look appalled at that notion. "It doesn't matter; what's done is done. He will make a good ally in the fight against evil, since that appears to be what Crowley is planning for the boy."

"Yes, best not to think about those things that don't fit into your little world. Best not to think that we could have saved the best Slayer we've had in several generations from William the frigging Bloody. Best not to think that Robin could have his mother right now if someone had bloody listened to me."

Buffy moved mechanically through the rest of her day, fortunately, there were only two more classes, and, even more fortunately, two that she was doing well in.

She put her books into her locker; she could get them before she left if she could actually get into the spirit of homework, if not, well, then it wouldn't much matter if she had her books or not. She walked to the library, but Giles wasn't there. Willow was, and Xander walked in not far behind her. "Hey, Buffy," Willow said, looking up from a book.

"Hi," she said back.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, Buffy, what's with the glum?" Xander asked her.

"Oh," she said, shaking herself and smiling, "I'm, I'm good."

"How did your meeting with the principal go?" Xander asked her.

She sat down, and started talking, but it was very devoid of the normal bounce in her voice, "Mom was there, and, Mr. Stone, he's kind of like a rogue Watcher guy, and he's kind of talked Giles into going along with him—at least for now—and he told Mom about the Slayer stuff. Then he told me that he thought I should be paid for being the Slayer."

"Well, that's good. Paid for killing vampires," Willow said. "So how much are they paying you?"

"Well, a lot. I'm not sure exactly. But he gave me a check for the back pay that he thinks I deserve from the day I was called, and I didn't hear much after that. He and Mom kind of hammered out the details, while I kind of stared at the check."

"Do you have it?"

"Have what?"

"The check. I want to see it," Willow said.

"Oh," Buffy said, shaking her head, then brushing her hair back from her face again, she reached down and fished it out of her purse. "Here," she handed the thing to Willow like it was burning her.

Will's eyes bugged out. "How long is this for?"

"A year and a half. Since I was called," She told them, and watched as Willow handed the check to Xander. The part of Xander's brain that translated 'boy' into 'English' stopped functioning, and he mouthed noises at her for a few minutes while she watched him, amused.

"That...that...that is a whole LOTA zeros, they even come before the decimal point!" Xander finally got out.

"Yes, it is. He had me sign a contract that basically said that I would acquire a high school diploma for continued employment in 'Maraíonn Sí.'" Buffy said.

"What happens if you don't?" Xander asked.

"I forfeit all future wages until such time as I fulfill the requirement," Buffy said.

"Oh, that is evil...offer to pay you then say you have to graduate high school before you see any of it. I am incensed at this," Xander said.

"Calm down, I have until the June after my 18th birthday to acquire said diploma. He's offered to get me any help I need to keep up, but I have to do the work myself,"

"That's wonderful Buffy!" Willow said.

"Yeah...now that I've had time to digest everything that's happened today I think you're right. This has been a good day, a bit surreal, but good. In fact, I feel like celebrating! We are so going to the Bronze tonight," Buffy said.

"I'm afraid that is going to have to wait," Giles said as he entered the library.

"Why?" Buffy said.

"You have to patrol tonight. I'm sorry Buffy, I understand your desire to celebrate your good fortune, and under other circumstances, I would fully endorse your doing so. Unfortunately a Miss Vanderdorf was buried today and from what my contacts in the morgue say it was definitely a vampire attack, she may rise tonight," Giles said as he opened the door to his office, retrieving his fighting gear.

"Is anyone else creeped out by the fact the G-man has contacts in the morgue?"

Xander asked, only to get hit on the arm by Buffy, "Ow!"

"Which cemetery Giles?" Buffy asked, disappointed, but business was business.

"East street, and I think it would be a good idea for you to take your mother."

"My mother, on a patrol?"

"She won't fully accept this until she sees you in action, Buffy. Besides you take Xander and Willow all the time," Giles said.

"Fine...you win," Buffy said.

"Very good, now lets get to training, shall we?"

"It'll probably be a while, Mom."

"Well, I've never done this before," Joyce told her daughter from the chair that she had insisted on bringing, despite the fact that Buffy had told her that she would be fine sitting on the gravestones. Joyce had insisted it was totally improper. "So she comes out of the grave?"

"Yep. She just crawls right up out of the ground."

"And then what?"

"Kick, punch, ground, stake, dust," Buffy said with a huge grin.

"So do you enjoy your work?" Joyce asked, resting her chin on the big wooden cross that Buffy had given her for protection.

"There's a lot of fighting with it, and it's an adrenaline rush, and there's danger, but, yeah, I actually like it a lot. As a bonus, I get to save people. Good people. Willow and Xander people."

"Is there a down side?"

"Yeah," Buffy said quietly, "When I don't save the people. Jesse people. Sheila people."

"Who are they?"

"Sheila was my biggest competition, according to Snyder, for the worst student in the high school. She stabbed the Horticulture teacher with pruning sheers. I had to dust her on Parent-Teacher night. Jesse was Xander's best friend, and my first week of school last year, Jesse got vamped. Xander was the one who had to stake him."

"That's awful, Sweetheart. Is this really that dangerous?"

"Sometimes," she said, ducking her head. She was quiet for a long moment while she stared off into the distance. "Slayers don't have great life expectancies."

Joyce shifted uncomfortably. "What's it like to be the Slayer? I know you are stronger than most girls."

"It's different. There's the super-strength, and better hearing, faster reflexes, super healing, bad guy detectiness."

"Super healing?"

"Yeah. Not that I've tested it, but Giles says that I can break about every bone in my body and be back to better in like a week."

"That sounds awful, Buffy."

"Usually it's a good thing, like not having had to explain bruises to you, then there are downsides," she tilted her head to one side, "Painkillers don't work so well for me, and I eat alot. On the plus side I recover really fast after being slipped a mickey."

"I know. I pay the grocery bill," Joyce said. "I had wondered how you could eat so much and not gain weight, and who slipped you a mickey?"

"Um," she twisted her hands, looking down at them. "I kind of was at a frat party a couple of Fridays ago and almost got eaten by a demon as a sacrifice. It's why all those companies started failing last week."

"What happened?"

"They were making sacrifices to this demon, Machida, human sacrifices, like, three girls every year for like the last 50 years. They drugged me to tie me up in the basement for the sacrifice. I woke up and chased it away."

"Now that the demon is gone, what happens?"

"Oh, the people who were getting whatever kind of power that they were getting start paying for it and they don't usually do so good after that."

"So, being the Slayer, how did this happen, how did it start?"

"Don't really know. But it's been going on for a long time."

"You can't get out of it?"

"I could die."

"Buffy, that's not funny."

"It's true, though. That's the way that a new Slayer gets called. The old one dies. New one is called. That's how it works."

"Alright. Let's talk about something more pleasant. Like your finances."

"I don't want to talk about finances."

"You are going to have to at some point. Why not now?"

"Still processing the fact that I'm getting paid $20,000 a week here."

"Well, that's a good thing though. Do you think you want to invest the money?"

"I don't know, Mom. I kind of was hoping," she hung her head a little, pausing. "That maybe you could help me?"

"I am glad you asked for help, but I don't know how much help I'm going to be. This is a new level for me too."

"It's kinda scary."

"The slaying?"

"No, well, yes that can get scary, but having this much money...what am I supposed to do with it?"

"I suppose anyone that gets to the point of making that kind of money as quickly as you have ask that question, sweetheart."

"Like who?"

"Actors, athletes, most of them come from backgrounds not too different from yours or Willow's and Xander's. Not all of them get the answer right either."

"That implies there is a right answer."

"I suppose so, what worries you most about it?"

"I'm afraid that I won't be able to live up to the trust that Mr. Stone is placing in me by giving me this much money."

"Oh, Honey," Joyce said getting up, "I'm so proud to hear you say that, furthermore hearing you say it gives me confidence that you'll do the right things with it."

"Thanks, Mom," she said as she gave her Mom a hug, she pulled back only to see pure terror in her mother's eyes.

"Buffy...I think its time for you to go to work..." her mother said.

"Huh? OH!" Buffy said and turned, a feral grin spreading on her face.

"I've always liked this town, the delivery places are always so...prompt." the fledgling vampire said.

"Sorry, I'm not take out," Buffy quipped and just before she moved forward she heard a voice she'd hoped not to hear again.

"Tsk, tsk, Slayer. It's rather rude to start the party before all the guests have arrived," Spike said coming out from behind a tree, five other vampires quickly started to surround Buffy and her mother.

"Spike...I should have known. You planned this didn't you?" Buffy asked.

"Of course I did! You didn't think I wouldn't be back did you? One thing, though, why is your mother here?"

"Bonding time."

"Hmmm...well I'll just have to kill her too. Nothing personal just business. Don't hold the fire extinguisher against you, Mrs. Summers."

"At least you're polite," Joyce said.

"My own mother would be disappointed in me if I wasn't," Spike said.

"Spike! No bonding with my mother!" Buffy said.

"Ok, we'll just get down to business then," Spike said.

"Fine, just you and me, no goons," Buffy said.

"You expect me to play fair?" Spike said with a laugh. "Where the hell is the fun in that?"

With that, Buffy moved and quickly staked the unsuspecting fledgling, only to be surrounded by four of Spike's goons. Buffy dropped and leg swept all four to the ground.

"Looks like they need more practice Spike," Buffy said coming up only to see the fifth vampire grab her mother and bite. "NO!"

Xander stood, twirling the straw in his drink, with Willow sitting beside him at their accustomed table near the foot of the stairs at the Bronze. Well, that was, when they weren't on some of the couches. It was a comfortable scene, overall, there were some people on the dance floor, and 'The Dingoes Ate My Baby' were playing a song, "She Knows…"

"I wish Buffy was here," Willow said.

"Yeah, the Buffster would be great for laughs right about now. Too bad she's on Mom-patrol tonight."

"Yeah. I guess it would probably be kind of hard to not do. Maybe she'll show later, you, know, after."

"Yeah. Do you think she'd bring her Mom, since they are being all friend-y?"

"No, I don't think so. Mrs. Summers doesn't seem like the Bronze type."

"Don't you just love the band?" Cordelia gushed as she came up to their table.

"And the night just keeps getting better. To what do we owe this astounding nonpleasure?" Xander asked.

"Well, if you must know, Harmony is at home, wretchedly sick, Aphrodesia is grounded until she can stop flunking French and Gwen's parents took her to Aspen with them."

"So none of your minions are around to fawn over you, and you decided that you should come torment us?"

"Ha ha. Now where is Buffy? She is only marginally cool, but since there is no one actually cool here tonight, other than my boyfriend, of course, I thought I would hang with her while Devon sings."

"Oh, she's out with her mom," Willow said. "But she might be by later tonight."

"Well, what are they doing? It can't be more important than her social life, can it?"

"You know, Cordelia," Xander said, slinging his arm around her shoulders, "Life is not all parties and dancing." Cordelia gave him the look. He dropped his arm, and lost his smile.

"Buffy's patrolling and she took her mom with her."

"So she'll be by later?"

"Possibly. She has a little celebrating to do. Apparently, being the Slayer actually pays now."

"Really? And how's that? Do the vampires leave their wallets behind now?"

"Xander, I don't think you're supposed to tell," Willow said, wide-eyed.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Buffy is much more interested in the Slayer aspect of Slaying than in the huge paycheck that she gets because of it," Xander turned his back on Cordelia, "So, Will. Do you think Buffy is going to show?"

"Depends. Vampires aren't exactly punctual you know, and if Angel shows up...she might be out all night!" Willow said getting excited at the prospect of hearing the juicy details from Buffy.

Xander sighed. "Buffy and Angel won't be making out Will."

"Why not?" Willow said sounding disappointed.

"Her Mother is with her, remember?"

"Oh...yeah. That's right. Kinda hard to make out with your main squeeze with your mother watching."

"Angel isn't Buffy's main squeeze!"

"Yet." Willow said with certainty.

"How much are you saying that she's getting paid, anyway?" Cordelia asked as she pulled a chair up to the opposite side of the table and tried to get the attention back on who it belonged, namely her.

"Alot, like one...," Xander said, and Willow punched him on the arm. "Hey!"

"Xander, we don't know if Buffy wants us to tell anybody about this, or if she has even thought about who she should tell or how much she wants to tell or if getting a check for a million and a half dollars is going to change her life, or if she even wants it to change her life, or if she's going to do anything with it, or if she is going to just be Buffy."

"Will, you're babbling."

Cordelia just stared wide eyed and slack jawed, "A miiiiilllllioooonnnnn and..."

Xander looked back and forth between Willow and Cordelia and smiled. "Hey Will...we finally did it! Cordelia is totally speechless!"

Angel sprinted the last few steps as he saw that Spike's people were already circling into position around Buffy and Joyce, getting his game face on. "NO!" Buffy screamed as one of Spike's minions grabbed Joyce from behind. Angel pulled a stake and dusted him, grabbing her and keeping her from falling, but lowering her to the ground nonetheless. He could smell the blood seeping out from the bite, but she would be fine once they got her out of the situation.

"Sorry I'm late," Angel said, joining Buffy.

"Seems to me you're right on time," Buffy said launching herself at the goons, Angel not far behind. Buffy did a snap kick to the face of the first goon she got to, then while he was stunned, she dropped fast, pulled him to the ground, and staked him as he hit the ground, dusting him. Angel exchanged punches three or four times with the second, when the third vampire threw Angel down and moved to stake him as Buffy moved in on the second. Angel closed his eyes and waited for oblivion only to be showered by dust and be greeted by the surreal sight of Buffy's mother holding a stake.

"Thanks!" he said.

"I owed you," she said.

Angel got up just in time to see Buffy finish off the last of Spike's goons. "Well, this is not any fun anymore. I suppose you and Peaches win another round, Slayer. Don't worry though, I will be back!" Spike said and as near vanished as possible.

"Should we go after him?" Angel asked as his face morphed back to its normal state.

"No...he's doing the bad-movie-bad-guy I'll-be-back thing, besides, I think Mom has questions. Ones best answered back home where we can get a bandage on that bite," Buffy said.

"I agree. Vampires don't carry rabies, do they?" her mother asked.

Buffy looked at Angel and he shrugged. "It's been known to happen."

The two women looked at each other. "Ew!" they said in unison.

A woman lurked outside Sunnydale High, watching from across the street as the new principal got into his car, driving off. She turned to watch as he moves down the street, and her profile is unremarkable. Pretty, an average nose, deep brown eyes, long straight hair, dishwater blonde, someone no one would look at twice passing her on the street.

She smiled, and headed for a motorcycle parked a block away in a residential area.

Joyce was not sure why her daughter insisted on using the water she had in a vial instead of using rubbing alcohol on the wound, but she humored Buffy. "So, vampires."

"Yeah," she said, dabbing more of the water onto the wound. "The Holy Water doesn't hurt?"

"No more than anything else would at this point," she said. Buffy put the cap back on the bottle, setting it carefully away from Angel.

Angel had out tape and gauze pads, which he'd gotten ready while Buffy fussed with the Holy Water. "Thanks," she said cheerily to him, taking the items that she needed as she needed them.

"So, about the rabies," Joyce said to Angel.

"Oh, I doubt you will have to worry about it. Spike's minions mostly feed on humans, so they will be clean. It's the more feral vampires that you have to worry about, the ones that live in the woods and feed off of animals and the occasional stray human," he said, "Not that you will probably have much to worry about. Biting is much more about the vampire getting blood than the victim getting anything."

"Why does that not really make me feel better?" Joyce said, her mind reeling with dozens, no, hundreds of questions.

"Sorry," Angel said.

"Its ok. This whole day has been...well a little crazy."

"I know, Mom," Buffy said as she finished dressing the wound.

"So...I assume you aren't a college student, Angel."

"No, I'm not, you've seen what I am."

"So are there other good vampires?" Joyce asked.

"To the best of my knowledge I'm the only one." Angel said.

"So why are you not like the others?"

"He has a soul, Mom. He's the only vampire to have one that I'm aware of or that Giles is too," Buffy said.

"So have you always had a soul?"

"No, I was born with one of course. There was a time I was human just as you are. Then I was brought into the darkness and I lost my soul as every vampire does. After I was changed I did horrible things, terrible things. Things that have haunted me for a long time."

Joyce felt a pang of sympathy for the vampire before her, "So how did you get your soul back?"

"Gypsies. I had killed one of their favored members and her family cursed me with a soul so that I would live the rest of my days as a guilt racked wretch, and I was one for a long time, until I found a purpose."

"And what purpose is that?"

"Buffy, my purpose is her, and her mission. I guess you could say I'm trying to make up for the evil I've done in some small way."

The way he said that made Joyce more than a little nervous for Buffy's sake, not because she thought Angel would ever physically hurt Buffy, or even intentionally hurt her emotionally, but the fact was he might do the latter regardless of what he wanted to do. However, that was a problem to deal with another time, it wasn't pressing and she needed more information from Angel before she could even think about how to deal with it anyway.

"How old are you, Angel?"

"I'm 244."

"Is that from your human birth or just the time since you became a vampire?"

"From the time I became a vampire. I was born as a human in 1727."

"How old were you when you were changed?"

"Twenty-six."

Joyce nodded, her concern only growing with every revelation, but there would be time later for this problem, besides whatever problems he represented, he did relieve her biggest concern. "Thank you for helping us tonight, Angel, and thank you for looking after my little girl."

"Your welcome, now my turn to play twenty questions, just why were you out there with Buffy tonight in the first place?" Angel asked.

"I told her. Or, rather, Principal Stone told her. Oh, I'm getting paid now!" Buffy said, her face perking up for the first time since they had gotten home.

"Paid? I thought the Watcher's Council didn't pay the Slayer," Angel said.

"The Council isn't. Principal Stone is." Joyce said.

"How much is he paying you?" Angel asked.

"One million dollars a year, after taxes," Buffy said, causing the vampire to do a double take.

"How much?" Angel said in obvious shock.

"One million US dollars, after taxes," Joyce said again for her daughter who was too busy rolling on the floor in peals of laughter at Angel's expression, a grin coming to her own face unbidden.

"Wow...well I better go, its getting late," Angel said, and Joyce looked at the clock on the wall and saw he was right, it was already past midnight.

"Yes...I need to get some sleep, I'm not going to be worth anything in the morning. Do you want to stay the night Angel?" Joyce asked.

"I better not, Mrs. Summers. I don't think you want me stuck here all day while Buffy's at school and you're at work," Angel said.

"Why would you be..." Joyce began, only to be cut off by Buffy.

"Mom...the sun, if he goes out into direct sunlight he's an instant barbeque."

"Oh...I'm sorry Angel. I wasn't thinking," Joyce said.

"Its ok, Mrs. Summers. I'll see you tomorrow, Buffy. Good night Mrs. Summers," Angel said and went to the door Buffy following him to the door. She opened it for him and hugged and kissed him before he left confirming Joyce's worst fears. Joyce sighed, he was a really nice man, and really everything Joyce would hope for a first boyfriend for Buffy...except for the fact that he was older than the nation Buffy was born in, and dead, and apparently couldn't go out in daylight, and probably a whole list of things Joyce was too tired to try to think of at this point.

"Night, Mom!" Buffy said cheerfully as she headed upstairs.

"Night, sweetheart," Joyce called back, then started for bed herself.

Angel looked both ways as he crossed the street in front of the high school. The area appeared to be deserted, but that really didn't mean anything. There were a number of ways to get into the school, and he'd been here a year, and learned a number of them. The sewer warrens ran straight into the school, but he didn't want to go that way. He hated the sewers, and he was going to avoid it if possible. The new frame on the window to the student lounge had been installed a few days before, but the glass had been delayed and wouldn't be in until the morning. He slid one of the bars up out of its socket, a feat that wouldn't have been possible if he hadn't been a vampire. Buffy might have been able to do it, but she didn't really have the leverage that would have been required.

The resulting hole was just wide enough to slide into, and he was able to push down the plywood that had been left in place of glass without damaging it too much. The interior had been repainted, replaced, whatever needed done, and the lounge looked as though nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened there, except maybe one of the students had gotten too rowdy and thrown a football through the window or something similar.

Angel pushed the plywood back up, and headed into the principal's office to see about this Mr. Stone.

He had a flashlight, and began looking through some of the papers on the desk of Principal Ian Stone. An understated placard bore his name, a name that, as yet, meant nothing to Angel. There were no pictures of himself, a good sign, he wouldn't be the narcissistic prick Snyder had been. He hadn't personally had the pleasure, but he would have gladly killed the man had he run across him in a dark alley at night for the pain and torment that he caused Buffy.

The filing cabinet had a locked drawer at the bottom, and Angel was about to try to pick it when he heard a familiar sound, that of a sword being drawn. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said, glancing around, finding that one of the new decorations was two real, sharpened swords, crossed on a red velvet and wood oval. He reached up and grabbed the nearer one.

"What are you doing here?" the voice was feminine, but it wasn't Buffy, and she had a sword. She was probably going to be dangerous.

"What are you doing here? Night security isn't typically a feature of high schools," he said, pinpointing her location by her voice, her scent, and the air currents changing around her too-still body. She had played with swords before, he guessed, but she wasn't a vampire. She smelled too alive. Even the recently dead smelled of earth or worse things. They didn't smell of coursing blood, the way she did. She was afraid, but she controlled it well. It was like she wasn't afraid of him, but of something else entirely.

"I saw the light, and I thought I would investigate. What are you doing in Ian's office?" he finally placed her accent. It was well hidden; years in America did that to a person, or even a vampire, but she hadn't been born here. She was from eastern Russia, her hard sounds were harder than the English equivalents, and her soft sounds weren't soft enough.

"I was wondering why he was interested in employing someone who is still in high school. He's got an awful lot of money to be throwing around for a principal."

"Ian has always been very generous with his time and money. He very much enjoys teaching. You might say it is his only passion."

She sounded bitter to Angel, bitter and hurt. "So he's just the principal out of the goodness of his heart?" Angel asked skeptically.

"Oh, he probably has other reasons to be here, which brings us back to the original question. Why are you here? Ian hasn't even been here for a full day."

"He moves fast, then. He's already doing things that make me suspicious of his motives."

"He is a good man, more than I can say for you, sneaking into the school in the middle of the night," she said, and with that, she launched herself at him.

Angel ducked the blow and kicked her in the midriff, and sent her flying, she crashed into a security camera. She recovered quickly and got past his defenses to stab him in the chest with the sword, missing his heart, but it wouldn't have mattered if she had hit it the sword being steel, but the injury still hurt and brought on his vampire face. Angel grabbed the blade and growled.

"That wasn't nice, missy!" he said as he broke the blade.

"That was my favorite blade!"

"Well, that will teach you to poke people with it."

"You are no person, vampire!" she screamed and lunged at him, instinctively Angel brought up the broken half of the sword and it pierced her chest and came out her back, blood gushed out of the wound assaulting his nostrils driving the demon inside him crazy with need to feed. Angel knew that the sword piece had pierced her heart and there was no saving her, besides, that much blood...he had to get out of there, he crashed through the window and left the bloody mess behind.

_**Killarney**__**, **__**Ireland**__**, 1978**_

Ian was sitting at a table in the back of a tavern. He had known the owners of this particular tavern for generations, and that meant he was usually left alone, unless something happened.

His beer stein had been empty for some time; he set it over within the line of sight of the barmaid, daughter of the owner. "Ya be needin' more o' that ale, then?"

"Please," he said, and she took the stein away to refill it.

"What's it that ya be readin' there?"

"It's a book of prophecy."

"Ah, ya believin' what's in there, then?"

"A bit," he said with a smile.

She smiled back, "Jes let me know if ya be needin' anythin' else, Mister O'Braonáin."

"I will, thank you," he told her. He didn't often use what he would probably term his 'real' name. Braonán, his father, had been a good man, and he honored him when he could, and that usually meant taking the honorific last name that had been in vogue when they had been giving such things out. He had had little use for it until he was about 500 years old. Ríoghbhardán was his given name, but he liked the name Ian. Considering he had reinvented himself every twenty to fifty years, he'd taken many names. Some he liked, some he didn't, some grew on him, some wore on him. Perhaps he would be Sean next. It was the Irish derivation of John, rather than the Scottish. It was a reasonably good name. Perhaps not. He was undecided as of yet, and the 'Ian Stone' persona still had some life in it. "You're a bloody hard chap to track down," said a familiar voice as he was reading the book and musing about his life. He was intending on writing down what he was reading, but he hadn't gotten around to it.

"I was not intending to be tracked down, Ripper."

"What's that you have there?"

He sighed. "Something the Council has forgotten about, much to my dismay. Not that they would have been able to read it up to now anyway."

"You skank it off them?"

"I liberated it from a shelf that hadn't been dusted in at least twenty years, let alone anything picked up off it."

"Why'd you leave?"

"I wanted to come home."

"You were yelling at that stiff shirt Travers," Ripper pointed out.

"I yell at a number of people."

"Not like that you don't. You taught for a year and I hadn't seen you yell at anyone, certainly not like that."

"I was rather emotional, I suppose. The conversation was about Nikki Woods and that new Slayer. Don't even know her name. No one ever tells me what's happening on the front lines."

"Samantha Ellis," Ripper said. "She isn't a bad Slayer, but after Nikki, no one talks about what she can do, all they talk about is how she's not Nikki."

"That is something that every Watcher must understand. Every Slayer is different, and every Slayer is unique, and deserves to be treated on her own merits. While comparing them to each other may be useful in the abstract, it is destructive to do so to or in front of them."

"You know that it's standard to rate the Slayers against what their predecessors have done."

"And I find it destructive and abusive."

Ripper looked thoughtful, an odd expression, considering his outward persona. "I can understand that," he said finally. "What's the big deal about this book?"

"It is written in English."

"How old is it?"

"It was written by the man who founded what became the Watcher Council."

"Blimey."

"Yes, you could say that."

"What's it say?"

"That's the problem. I have been able to unlock the seal on the first page, and that is all."

"What's the first page say?"

"'As I write this I know that you will understand. I know that I am writing in a language that will not be understood for many generations to come, but you will come to find that I am what you call a perfect seer. And so my frustration of you must begin. The events that I see, I hope to alter somewhat by writing this to you. My hope is that this finds you. The future is understandably murky on the validity of this, and so, if it is the time of She Who Died, a Slayer of great power and destiny, then you will be able to read this book. Once that time has passed, you will find all of the spells to have worn off. The events have paths, and so as some paths close, others will open. I have attempted to anticipate this. If this is the only page you can read, the time must be close, the players are beginning to align. The next page will not unlock until She is called.'"

Ian walked into the school, at a time appropriate to his position. "What's going on?" he asked his secretary indicating the hoard of police that were swarming the front office.

"When we opened up this morning, your door was open. There was so much blood in the room…" she looked shaken, and he put his arm around her.

"Was there anything else?"

"No, just the blood. It's rather strange. With that much blood, you would think there would be a body."

He glanced into the room, assessing the situation. His papers had been ruffled through on his desk, and he looked up into the corner where a camera had been installed only the day before, and it was smashed beyond recovery. He frowned, knowing that he would have to get another one. Hopefully he would get something off the tapes, which were run to a different room, a storage closet. There was a lot of blood, some spattered, some smeared, but most of it was in a pool on the floor in front of his desk. It did look like someone should have died there. "You would think," he agreed with her, and went to check the tapes.

The VCR that was set up to monitor his office was fine, and he popped the tape out, taking it with him to the A/V room, wanting to get this over with before any students got into the school.

He found the moment that the tape stopped receiving signal, and he backed up a few minutes to get an idea of what had happened just before that, but there was nothing. It had been too dark, and whoever had entered and swept the room first had done so with just a flashlight, which didn't illuminate his face. Then another shadowy figure appeared with a sword drawn. The picture was so dark that he couldn't tell if the second figure was male or female. They seemed to be talking, but the camera didn't have a microphone. Then the fight started with the second figure lunging at the first one, then the recording stopped, he didn't really see what destroyed the camera. "Great," he muttered to himself, and went back to the office.

"Do you happen to have the tape for that camera?" one of the officers asked him.

"I do, lad, here," he handed the officer the tape. "It doesn't show much, though. He took the camera out."

"He?"

"Well, it could have been a she, but I find that those lurking about and doing nefarious deeds in the middle of the night tend to be 'he's."

One of the detectives spoke then, "Well, I think we've got all the information that we can get from the scene. I imagine you want to get a cleaning crew in here and get started, don't you, Mr. Stone?"

"I do. I'll just take some paperwork to one of the empty classrooms while they clean up in here," he said.

The policeman nodded and left, and he went into his office, closing the door and stepping around the puddle of blood, and going behind the desk. He pried up one of the tiles under the desk, and reached into the hole that the absence of the tile revealed. His hand closed around something and he pulled it out. He leafed through the volume, the pages all gold leaf, and while they turned somewhat more clumsily than paper, he was very familiar with the book. A sigh of relief shuddered out of him. "At least those Council cronies who broke in here didn't find what they were after," he said to himself as he replaced the codex and the tile, smoothing the tile carefully ensuring that it matched up with those around it.

"But I wonder who interrupted them?"

_Grrrr__…__Argh__._


	2. Halloween

AN:Here is chapter two. Three will be up in a bit. I was planning on posting this at the same time I published the story, but an error prevented it.

_He__was__born__over__ 1500 __years__ago__on__the__Emerald__Isle__. __Over__the__centuries__, __he__has__fought__many__battles__, __but__he__is__at__heart__, __a__teacher__, __a__scholar__, __a__lover__, __a__father__. _

_For__two__centuries__, __he__has__dedicated__himself__to__learning__to__battle__demons__, __vampires__and__the__forces__of__darkness__. __He__came__to__the__New__World__because__it__is__a__time__of__prophecy__. __His__time__is__now__._

Willow was walking with Buffy. It was just after dark, and no badness was to be expected until after Halloween. "So, I mean, he's like excited, right?"

"I don't know, Will. He's not really one for showing his feelings all out there, you know."

They were walking past the pumpkin patch when a vampire stepped out of the bushes. "I'm going to take you down, Slayer."

"Well," Buffy said with a tight grin as she passed her purse to Willow and grabbed a stake out of it, "At least you have a goal in life. Or, un-life. Better than most of them around here." She kicked him in his midsection as he came at her, and he backed off but didn't fall, staggering toward the pumpkins.

"That all you got, Slayer? You don't really pack that much of a punch. I have to say there are humans who have impressed me more," he said, dropping into a crouch and taking a swing at her legs with his.

She jumped over his leg easily. "Will you be impressed when you're dust?"

He moved in, the talking part of the fight over, to all appearances. He body-slammed Buffy to the ground, and went to do more. Willow had a stake out in case he had any ideas of coming after her. Buffy rolled him, and went to stake him and he kicked her back onto a jack-o-lantern.

Buffy got up, grabbed a little pumpkin and chucked it at him. He was a little startled by this, but recovered. She threw another one, and Willow giggled as it hit him between the eyes. Buffy threw her stake at him, but he sidestepped, catching the stake. Buffy looked slightly concerned, and the vamp looked determined.

"Buffy we're going to be late!" Willow called out.

"Right, Wills, need to finish this guy off."

Buffy kicked the vampire in the face, and went for a second kick only to have the vampire grab her foot and twist her down onto the ground. The vampire leaned over the fallen Slayer only to get kicked in the chest and knocked back into Willows stake which pierced the heart, dusting the vampire.

He was here. This was good. This time he would realize just how much he needed her. There was no one else, she had made sure of it. He of course didn't know the gift of death she had given his last mortal lover, he wasn't ready to understand the devotion it took to kill her the way she did, as opposed to the way she wanted to. Immortals weren't meant to love mortals. It was just wrong; one did not have sex with one's pet. She shuddered at the thought and her thoughts drifted to the last time she'd had the pleasure of a man.

"I apologize for the wait, Ma'am," a voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Accepted, I need a room for three nights," she said to the servant, he didn't think he was one, but that didn't matter. She was his better, they both knew it, on at least a subconscious level for him, why else would he apologize to her?

"Of course," he said bringing up a map of the hotel, "What were you looking for? A single, double or king?"

"King sized, suite if you have them, with a kitchen," she said.

"Very good ma'am." The man was efficient, and polite. That went far with her, it was her due, but it cost nothing to appreciate the efforts of one's lessers—soon to be subjects—once it was just her and him. She didn't care for the prize, but the power of all the Immortals in the two of them should give them enough to rule this world openly, and if not the simple weight of years gave them the money to conquer it openly, though that would be messy.

"Here is your key and your coupon book, there are some really good deals in there. Do you need a bus schedule or the numbers of the local cab companies? " he asked.

"No, that won't be necessary." She said and turned and headed to her room. She got her cell phone out, she went through the phone quickly and put it to her ear.

"Johns, I am now resettled. I am at the Applewood Inn on Central, room number 112. I will give you a copy of the key when you prepare my supper, " she paused for a few minutes while the person on the other line spoke , then continued, "Excellent. Bring them I want to look over them, if they are truly acceptable, I'll have another job for you." There was another pause, then she spoke again, "Good, I will see you in a couple of hours, I think I want red meat tonight, though. Seeing him again …well, never mind."

She disconnected the phone without a goodbye and went into her room. She sighed, there was something she needed to do and soon or it was going to drive her to distraction. She got into her bags and pulled the tool out, it wasn't as good as the real thing would be, but it would grant her some time of peace, she went to the bed with small smile coming to her lips and turned off the lights.

Willow walked into the Bronze right behind Buffy. There wasn't anywhere that they stop before they got there , so there were still bits of straw and pumpkin goop in her hair . Angel was standing at a table near the door, and he'd caught sight of Buffy as soon as she'd walked in, so an emergency trip to the bathroom was out of the question. Willow proceeded to do what she could before Angel could get up close and personal, but Slaying really didn't go well with hair and wardrobe. Worse yet, Cordelia had been drooling over him and even worser he was in front of her. "Oh, hi," Buffy said, almost wringing her hands, "I'm…"

"Late," he finished for her.

"Rough day at the office," she told him.

He picked the last strand of straw from Buffy's hair, and handed it to her. "So I see."

"Hey," she said, getting a little defensive, "It's a look," she hesitated. "A seasonal look," she told him fiercely.

Cordelia walked up to them then. "Buffy," she smiled evilly, "Love your hair. It just screams street urchin," she said then walked away, but the damage was done.

"You know what? I need to go," she paused. "Put a bag over my head."

"She's just jealous because you make more a year than her father," Willow said, grabbing her arm before she could even turn around.

"Don't worry about Cordelia," Angel assured her, "You look fine." With the pressure of both of them, Buffy caved. "Let's get out of here and find somewhere else. I don't feel like a crowd tonight," Angel implored.

The prospect of alone time seemed to appeal to her. "Ok," she agreed finally.

Willow hugged her. "Have a good time."

Angel slid his hand down her arm, and laced his fingers in hers wordlessly, but the gesture was met with an actual smile. "Where do you want to go?"

"I'm kind of hungry," she admitted.

"I hear slaying does that," he told her, as they exited the club, leaving Willow feeling a little bereft but she hadn't really thought about what she would do after Angel and Buffy got all date-y. She sat down at a nearby empty table, and moments later she was joined by a miffed Cordelia, who sat a cappuccino down in front of her, and another in front of herself.

"Why did he leave with her? I'm obviously more attractive, and can dress way better than her."

"Cordelia, they are in love. I don't think either of them has thought about anyone else for like a year now."

"Isn't he a little old for her?"

Willow shrugged. "Yeah, but I think it's more important that he knows she is the Slayer and can fight along side her."

A carrot-topped boy walked past their table and that caught Cordelia 's attention.

"Oz," she said as she caught his arm.

"What?" he asked. "I need to get to the stage. It's bad enough that Devon isn't here, I don't need to be late. "

"I just wanted to know where Devon was."

"Home sick. He got food poisoning from that place up in Santa Barbara we stopped at on the way home last night."

"Oh."

"Cordelia, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"What friend ? Where?"

"Right next to you," he said with a smile, turning to Willow. He took her hand and gently kissed it. "Hi, I'm Oz. I'm with the band."

"I , uh, w-w-w-well, I," Willow blushed hard and couldn't continue.

"Her name is Willow," Cordelia said with a roll of her eyes. "Devon is really sick?" she asked a little too earnestly.

"Yeah , he is…Willow. That's a pretty name," Oz said.

"Oz is nice , too…I mean, thank you…uhhh…"

"You're cute."

"Hey OZ! Come on! We need to start our set!" a voice called from the stage.

"I gotta go, it was nice to meet you, Willow. Maybe I could buy you a drink after our set?"

"Uhhh…yeah…sure…that would be great," Willow said, her voice getting smaller with each word.

"Great, I'll see you in a couple of hours," he said, and headed toward the stage.

"We ll, if that isn't just rude. Totally ignoring me and my pain."

"I'm sure that he didn't mean to, Cordelia."

"Maybe I should go see Devon at home," Cordelia said to Willow with a frown. "I mean, if he 's sick, I should be there with him."

"He's got food poisoning, that means he's probably puking his guts up."

"Or maybe not."

Oz and the rest of the band worked really hard to make up for the fact that Devon was gone, but it just wasn't the same. He was their lead singer and his absence meant that the rest of them were trying to do vocals they hadn't practiced, or hadn't quite gotten down. Finally, they decided just to jam with the music, leaving the vocals out, and that finally got people out on the floor.

Oz watched Cordelia and Willow when he could, but being on stage, he had to pay attention to cues from the rest of the band, and to his guitar. It was ten o'clock when they broke for the night . "Thank you, everyone, and good night," Oz said into the mike. He glanced over at the table where Cordie and Willow were sitting, and it looked like Willow was leaving. "Hey, Sam, will you put my guitar away?" he asked, pulling the strap off his shoulder and holding the instrument out.

"Sure, Oz," Sam said, grabbing it and Oz hopped down from the stage.

"Hey," he said to Willow, intercepting her just before she got to the door.

"Hey," she said back to him, "I gotta go, my Mom will be expecting me."

Cordelia came up behind Willow then, " Let me spare you the humiliation, Willow. Run on home and play with your books."

Oz looked at Willow, and he knew that Cordie was doing everything she could to hurt her, and he hated her for it, for just a moment, "It's ok, " he said, "If your Mom is expecting you home, you should go."

"Well, she's out of town, but I told her I'd be home by eleven. I can stay for a little while though."

"Ok, great," Oz said, beaming at her, and he guided her over to one of the smaller tables, one with only two chairs.

Xander walked around the corner through the mill of students and found the Principal stapling fliers to one of the many bulletin boards. It had gotten around the school that he was dedicated to his job, and everyone that he'd talked now had met with him, at least briefly. No one really knew what to make of him, but he at least had the respect of the majority of the student body.

"Hey, Mr. Stone, whatcha doing?"

"I am putting up fliers about the Trick-or-Treat safety volunteer program, laddie," the principal told him. It seemed like everyone was either a 'laddie' or a 'lass,' or occasionally a 'lad' or 'lassie.' Principal Stone considered him for a moment. "Would you be up to helping me put these fliers up before class?"

"I, uh, sure, Mr. Stone," he said, grabbing the stapler.

"You'll be wanting to volunteer as well, won't you, laddie?"

"I think we have plans for popcorn and cheesy movies at the Buffster's house."

"Aye, and the tikes need to be back by 6:30. Plenty of time for young adults to have fun after, especially with the incentives you'll be getting."

Xander perked up at that. "Incentives?"

"Certainly, laddie. I'm giving everyone who takes a group out the weight in candy that their weans bring back, or cash on the pound."

Xander scanned the flier quickly. It said just what Mr. Stone had told him. It also said that volunteers had to wear costumes. "So, sign up, show up in a costume, take some kids out for a couple of hours, get candy?" Xander asked, and the principal nodded. "Aren't you worried about the whole school being sugared up the day after?"

"No, you are all responsible young adults, and I trust that you can show some restraint at this point in your lives."

Xander stopped, stunned, for an entire minute. "That's evil, Mr. Stone."

Mr. Stone took the rest of the fliers from Xander with a grin. "You should be getting to class, shouldn't you, Mr. Harris?"

Xander had a one of the fliers Principle Stone had been hanging up that morning. Excitement radiated from him as he extolled the virtues of their new principal. "So, I thought we could go shopping for costumes tonight. There's a new place over on Central we could check out."

"Costume shopping?" Giles asked as he walked out of his office.

"Yeah, you know, dressing up, taking little kids out for trick-or-treating," Buffy said. "I really don't want to, but I feel bad that I don't want to."

Giles chuckled. "It's called civic duty. Sometimes you do things because it's the right thing to do. Who's going patrolling tonight?"

"I'll take a swing through, Angel said he would do some too, later on. There's not anything in particular that we need to be watching for is there?"

"No, nothing's come up, it should be quiet," Giles said as he picked up one of the fliers, "Oh dear lord, is the man daft? I do hope you are planning on being responsible with this, Xander."

Xander sighed. "Mr. Stone already gave me the responsible-young-adults speech."

"And what about you, Buffy?"

"I'll go, but I'm kinda bummed out that my one night a year off is going to be taken up by civic responsibility. "

Xander was hopping with excitement over lunch, barely paying attention to Buffy and Willow discussing costumes. He got up, heading over to the drink machine, putting in the appropriate amount of change and hitting the button, but nothing came out. He looked up and noticed that Larry, one of the guys from the football team, and therefore one of his archenemies had come up to talk to him. "Harris."

"Larry. Looking very cro mag, as usual. What can I do for you?"

Larry very obviously leered at Buffy and Willow then turned his attention back to Xander. "You and Buffy, you're just friends, right?"

"I like to think of it less as a friendship and more as a solid foundation for future bliss."

Larry's eyes grew steely cold, and he snapped, "So, she's not your girlfriend."

"Alas, no. "

"You think she'd go out with me?"

"Well, Lar, that's a hard question…no, not a chance," he said, remembering the sickening way her eyes got dreamy when Angel's name was mentioned.

"Why not? I heard some of the guys say she's fast."

Xander nearly lost his temper right there, but he held his cool for the moment, "I hope you mean 'like the wind.'"

Larry ogled the girls again. "You know what I mean."

Xander grabbed Larry by the shirt, losing all reign on his temper at that point, "That's my friend you're talking about."

Larry puffed his chest out, unmoved by Xander's physical displays, and said, "Oh, yeah? What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to do what any man would do. Something…damn manly."

He pushed at Larry, who didn't budge, and Larry cocked his fist back, and Xander prepared himself for the impact , but someone grabbed his fist, pulling it back. Xander let go as Larry was spun around, slamming into the soda machine, which dispensed something due to the impact. By Buffy. "Get gone," she said, and Larry scurried off.

Buffy, oblivious to Xander's completely stunned state, picked up the soda, "Ooh , diet," she said, popping the top and heading back to where Willow was sitting.

"Do you know what you just did?" he asked her.

"Saved a dollar?"

"Larry was about to pummel me."

"Oh, that. Forget about it."

"I will, maybe fifteen, twenty years from now. When my rep for being a sissy-man finally fades."

She looked torn, but Xander was too upset to hear whatever apology she had for him,

"Xander," she started but he cut her off.

"A black eye heals, Buffy. But cowardice has a nearly unlimited shelf life," he said, and disgusted with the conversation he told her, "But thanks. Thanks for your help." He stalked off after that and left the lunch room.

Willow looked up as Buffy came back from saving Xander. "I think I just violated the guy code, big time."

"Poor Xander. Boys are so fragile," Willow commented, and it dimmed her glow just a little.

"Speaking of, how was your date last night?"

"Good. We got take out and sat in a graveyard. Very Slayerish."

"Did you kiss him?"

"Willow, you know that a girl shouldn't kiss and tell," Buffy gave her a hard look.

"Speaking of which, what's with the glow-y Willow? Did Xander finally admit to undying love or something?"

"Oh, ah, no."

"Well then what? I know you, and you're just dying to spill, so, come on, spill."

"After you left the Bronze, Cordelia was there, and ah, um."

"I know who Cordelia is, Willow."

"And she's dating Devon, but he wasn't there."

"Right, which is why she was drooling all over my honey because I was late. Leave no stone unturned, that's Cordelia."

"So there was this guy, and he's in the band, you know, the one that plays, um, music."

"Dingoes Ate my Baby?"

"Yeah, that one," Willow said, lighting up. "And Cordelia kind of stopped him and he kind of noticed me."

"You like him, don't you?"

"I, ah, well, um, yeah," Willow admitted finally, deflating.

"Did you get a name?"

"Oz," Willow said, taking a deep breath. "And he's cute and I watched him play guitar for like two hours and then I didn't want to talk to him because maybe he was just being nice when Cordelia was there and so I started to leave but then he stopped me and Cordelia said mean things, but all I could do was look at him and he's so cute and he bought me a drink and he talked to me, and I think he really likes me and," she caught sight of an unruly mop of red hair and she stopped.

"Hey, Willow," Oz said, coming around the corner. She knew she was glowing again and she couldn't help it.

"Hi," she said.

"I'm Buffy," Buffy told him, holding her hand out. He shook it. "I need to stop by the library before class. Talk to you after?"

Willow nodded happily and turned her full attention to Oz.

"So…have you decided what you'll dress up as Buffy?" Willow asked.

"No…not yet. Still thinking a quiet evening home would be nice," Buffy said.

"Oh no, no, Bufster…we have a deal. I get your candy in exchange for premature forgiveness, no backing out," Xander said.

"Ok, Xander, if this really will make you feel better," Buffy said.

"It's chocolaty goodness, Buffy. Of course it will make me feel better," Xander said.

Willow giggled at the exchange then she eeped and called out, "Buffy!"

Buffy and Xander headed over to the excited redhead and a vaguely familiar pink costume.

"Wow, Wills, is that what I think it is?"

"It most certainly is, my dear," Ethan said coming over to them.

"Is it really from the show?" Willow asked.

"Yes, worn by Barbara Eden herself, I think this one was the one she used in the first two seasons, or one of them at any rate," Ethan said.

"It looks like a perfect fit, Buffy. Shame we can't get Angel in an Air Force uniform," Willow said.

"Why would we want to get Angel in an Air Force uniform except to get him arrested?" Xander quipped, only to have his stomach become much too familiar with Buffy's elbow.

"Sorry …" he wheezed.

"Angel playing Major Tony Nelson to my Jeanie? Be still my beating heart," Buffy gushed as Xander gagged, only halfway from his unfortunate encounter with her elbow.

"Well, this piece will certainly make your friend wish he could be Major Nelson, dear," Ethan said.

"Yeah…but an actual costume? I could never…" Buffy was interrupted by Willow placing a hand over her mouth.

"She'll take it, she just got a raise in her allowance, one that she forgot about," Willow said.

"Willow!" Buffy said taking her friend's hand from her mouth.

"You'll thank me for this, Buffy! Just think of Cordelia 's reaction to Angel's reaction to you in it," Willow said.

"Is anyone concerned with my reaction to Angel's reaction to Buffy in that?" Xander interjected.

"No," both girls said at the same time.

"Just thought I'd ask," Xander said, moving off to either void his stomach or do some shopping on his own.

"So…you'll take it?" Ethan asked.

"Yes, she will," Willow spoke up before Buffy could say anything.

"Excellent. Let's get it packaged up."

Spike watched the video of the Slayer fighting the goon he sent after her. Damnation she was a tough bird. She was going to be the toughest Slayer kill of his entire life…and it would be sweeter for it. But that didn't mean he wasn't currently VERY PISSED OFF. He screamed in rage as he watched the slayer off the underling, not because she had dusted the underling, but because of HOW it had happened. What was this?

"Spikey is upset," Dru half sang.

"Damn right I'm upset. This isn't fair…who ever heard of a Slayer with FRIENDS? They are supposed to be the ultimate Lone Ranger type. Fucking Batgirls with Batman's attitudes. This one…she's different. Dangerously different."

"How so, Boss?" the vampire that had been playing the tape asked.

"Haven't you been paying attention you moron? She's got FRIENDS, and a family that support her and give her something that much more to fight for. Every other Slayer I've killed has been alone except for their usually next-to-useless Watchers," Spike let out another growl of frustration at his mention of the Watchers.

"I don't understand…" the underling started before exploding into dust.

"Let that be a lesson to the rest of you …I pay for brains as much as muscle!" Spike yelled, while Dru started humming, while she played with her cards.

"Ummm…boss…this might not be the best idea…but hmmmm…why not kill her friends? If they are such a problem?" Another lackey said.

"Kill her friends….hmmmm….if I could get them alone…that might actually work! Glad I thought of it …I am a GENIUS!" Spike said.

"Uhhh…yes sir…"

"Oh…come off you stupid sod…I was kidding. It really is a good idea. Yes ….Dru…what IS that that you are humming? It sounds familiar."

"Spaceman….in a bottle …show her navel she does not…" Dru continued to the tune she was humming.

"What are you going on about Dru…love?"

"She's insane , Spike," the lackey with the idea said.

"True enough…but my Dru is insane in a very special way …tell Spike Dru…what does it mean darling?"

"In pink she will be…color TV…she will not know the night …but she will know the light." Dru continued…some how keeping the words in that same maddeningly familiar song.

"What is that song?" Spike asked himself.

"It almost sounds like the theme from ' I Dream of Jeannie '," another minion asked.

"That's it! What does it mean Dru…tell your Spike…what does it mean?" Spike knelt before Drusilla .

"The Slayer will be in living color… at eight…seven central…on all of your NBC stations," Dru started laughing, then after a moment continued, "Someone is playing a really fun prank on Halloween…this year will be FUN. Kill her Spike…while she's dressed in pink? Kill her for your Drusillia? "

"Are you saying what I think you are saying, pet?" Spike asked a grin growing on his face.

"She can be canceled on Halloween," Dru said, out of her ravings and clearly making a joke.

"I love you, Dru!" Spike said.

"Dance with me, Spikey?"

"Of course…this is a moment to celebrate! However…instead of killing her…I want to make her suffer a bit …maybe turning one of her friends?"

"Oh…I like that…Spike, yes…kill the Slayer's friends…make me a friend ? It's been a long time since I've been able to talk girl things…" Dru said.

"Yes…she'll do nicely…" Spike said, rewinding and pausing the playback and pointing at the redhead that interfered at such an inopportune moment.

"Yes …Spike! Red will be FUN! Can she be our little girl?"

"You want to do it?"

Dru nodded.

"Very well, pet…she shall be yours."

Ethan was pleased by the number of customers coming into the shop...of course the spell he cast to make it a little more enticing didn't hurt. Even if his plans for Halloween fizzled, and he didn't expect them too, he was making money hand over fist. Say what you would about America and Americans, any sod with two brain cells to rub together could make a killing in this country. Just this morning he sold the Jeanie costume...now where she came across the twenty thousand dollars to pay for it he didn't know, but her card went through and it was a debit card. Wonderful innovations...much more peace of mind with those than credit for the merchants of the world. Yes indeed, it was a good day.

Then he saw him enter the store...damnit...why did HE have to be here. Ethan ducked below the counter and quickly put on a Ronald Reagan mask. He just COULDN'T be recognized . The bell rang as the door opened to admit his least welcome customer, Ian Stone. Immortal, and as far as Ethan knew, still employed by the Watcher's council. He would prove to be a problem if he found out what was going to happen before it happened. However, every cloud did have its silver lining, if Ian was in here, that meant that he was here to buy a costume, which meant he'd be affected by the spell. Ethan smiled underneath the mask.

He approached Stone and doing his best Reagan voice said, "Can help you find something?"

"Yes, my dear..." Stone turned and saw the mask, and finished with a smirk, " I mean, Mr. President. I'm looking for something from Star Trek."

"Excellent choice , sir! Excellent indeed! I have costumes from the original series and the movies as well as the Next Generation, and nothing worn by any of the stars, unfortunately But many to choose from," Ethan said, dropping the Reagan voice, but keeping his British accent hidden.

"Excellent...I always fancied myself an engineer," Stone said.

"Right this way, sir, right this way." Ethan led him near the back of the store where he kept the Sci-Fi outfits. There was the scarf and overcoat of the third Doctor, a couple of Rebel uniforms from the Star Wars films even an outfit from Battlestar Galactica, warriors uniform, complete with holster, belt and jacket. Then the Star-Trek uniforms. There were original uniforms, movie uniforms and then uniforms from the Next Generation and Stone looked like a kid at Christmas.

"You sir, are amazing. I am glad to have stumbled into your shop," Stone said as he looked over the choices. He lingered over the original uniforms for sometime, then moved on to the movie uniforms, taking down the white radiation suit that Scotty wore in the Wrath of Kahn, and put it back. He went to the Next Generation uniforms and skipped over the blue of science and the red of command.

He took down a couple of the yellow of engineering and security. He held a couple up to himself and then selected one.

"I think this will do, Mr. President," Stone said in that damn annoying Irish accent of his. It almost was enough to make Ethan's ears bleed to hear it.

"Very well, if you'll come to the register I'll get you on your way," Ethan said.

"Excellent," Stone replied.

The two of them headed to the counter, and Ethan rang up the purchase, " That will be $435.95."

"Very well, do you take plastic?" Stone asked.

"This is America, of COURSE I take plastic," Ethan said.

"Very well," Stone said chuckling a little, swiping his card and entering his pin.

"Thank you and remember, win one for the Gipper!" Ethan asked, wondering where THAT had come from.

"Cute, very cute. Have a good day, Mr. President," Stone said and left. Ethan breathed out a sigh of relief and ripped off the mask, his hair was wet from sweat, and it wasn't just from the heat.

"Bloody hell...why did that Mick bastard have to be on the Hellmouth, NOW?"

"Are you going to see Angel tonight?" Willow asked Buffy from the bathroom .

"Yeah, after you guys leave I think we're going to have some alone time here at the house. Mom's off in some other city looking at the competition."

"Art galleries?"

"Yeah."

"Does he know about your costume?"

"Nope. It's a surprise. Come on out, Will, you can't stay in there all night."

"Okay, but don't laugh," she said, and slowly emerged from the bathroom.

"I won't," Buffy started, then she actually caught sight of Willow. "Wow," she said, impressed that the look was amazing on Wills.

"Do you really mean it, you aren't just saying that?" she asked, looking frightened.

Buffy guided her over to the full-length mirror. "Totally. I wouldn't let you go out looking less than your best tonight, and you totally look like a hot babe." Willow was still examining herself critically in the mirror when the doorbell rang. "That's Xander. You ready?"

"Yeah, okay," Willow agreed, and Buffy grinned.

"Cool! I can't wait to watch the boys go non-verbal when they see you," she said and ran out the door and down the stairs. She opened the door to find Xander in a lame "army dude" costume.

"Private Harris, reporting for-" he swallowed. "Grant me a wish oh, all-powerful Jeanie," he said, his eyes riveted on Buffy.

"I'll think about it," she said playfully. "Wait ' til you see-"

"Hi," Willow's voice came from about halfway down the stairs. Buffy and Xander turned to look at her .

"Willow ," Buffy finished, and a little amazed that her attempts to draw Willow out had worked.

Xander's eyes got huge as he took in Willow's full costume.

Buffy watched in amazement as the intelligence drained out of Xander's eyes as they moved down Willow. She knew his IQ had hit three when his tongue flopped out of his mouth and he tried to talk around it.

"What's wrong Xander?" Willow asked, worried about her best friend .

"I think he's lost the capacity to speak," Buffy told her, bemused.

"Is that it?" she asked him, actually a little bit pissed off.

"I, uh, no. I've just never seen you wear anything like that before," Xander said, trying to recover. "It kind of surprised me is all."

"It took this for you to see me as a girl?" she asked, getting up in his face, using her hands to gesture at her body then continued, "This is a fantasy, Xander!"

"I see you as a girl...just not...uhmmm...not date type girl...best friend ...that's you...but...damn...fantasy yes," he said, his eyes still roving over her newly revealed body.

"Thanks, Xander, thanks a lot ! I think I'm over the crush I've had on you for the last ten years, I never dreamed you were THIS shallow! Not 'date type', until you see me in this!" she said, then turned to Buffy. "Come on, I think there's still time to get to school if we walk."

"In my own defense...I AM sixteen! Willow ? Buffy?" He followed the girls helplessly calling after them as both ignored them.

Ian was enjoying himself, the kids in their costumes were cute as buttons...though he wondered at that particular expression...all the buttons he'd ever seen were functional, completed the outfit, but he would hesitate to call them cute. The kids however couldn't help but be adorable and the old familiar pain of his own inability to have children surfaced. He fought it down with practiced ease and started counting out the children into groups of ten for high schoolers to take.

"Beaming somewhere Mister Stone?" a familiar perky voice said.

"Miss Summers. Pleased to see you here, though given your other duties I had expected you to take tonight off," Ian said, genuinely pleased that the Slayer was here.

"I came down with a bad case of civic duty and the Pepto didn't fix it," Buffy said.

"Funny how that works, isn't it?" he responded.

"Besides, how can you say no to a face like this?" Buffy pointing down at one of her charges that was dressed as an ax-murderer victim. Ian suppressed a sigh at what parents would let their children do nowadays, he'd seen too much real violence in his days to take pleasure in its glorification.

"Not easily I suppose," Ian said, suppressing the horror he felt.

"Whoa! Mister Stone, Starfleet! So who outranks who?" Xander said with his 'troops' marching behind him in a formation that would make a drill sergeant red with anger.

"Mr. Harris, I will forever and always outrank you," Ian said with a smirk.

"Yes, sir!" Xander said, then turned to Buffy, "Buff, can you PLEASE talk to Willow for me? I've only seen her back since we left your house."

"Sorry, Xander, I can't get involved," Buffy said, not unsympathetically. Ian watched her deal with whatever it was and forced down a smile...yes...she was good. She'd make a fine leader when it became necessary.

"Please?" Xander begged.

"Give her a few days, Xander. The WORST thing you can do is push right now," Buffy said.

Xander let out a sigh, then a little boy said, "Gee, this guy's pathetic, all of this over a girl!"

"Hey! That's my best friend you're talking about!"

"All right, Mr. Harris, mind on the mission," Ian said.

"Right...right. Ok, troops! Let's head out!" Xander said as he led his "troops" out and started giving them final instructions.

"Well I suppose I better get my group and get going," Buffy said to Ian.

"Have a Happy Halloween, Miss Summers," Ian said and gathered the group he was taking himself.

"I think Devon is avoiding me, first it's food poisoning, now he's 'out of town' for his grandmother's funeral. I mean, she's his grandmother just how well could he know her?" Cordelia whined, Oz was starting to wish for a shotgun and he was starting to wonder just who he'd use it on.

"Actually I think they were quite close. He was really broken up when he told us. Tears and everything," Oz said, in lieu of what he really wanted to tell the self-centered bitch next to him. He'd decided to surprise Willow by showing up to help her with the trick-or-treaters. He wasn't in costume and had had the unfortunate luck to be cornered by Drama Queen Cordelia.

"Why did you say you were here again?" Cordelia asked.

"To help Willow with her charges tonight, it's a surprise."

"I can't escape it...I'm surrounded by losers. I was supposed to go to this really hot party, but with Devon out of town I can't go. My life sucks!"

"Why can't you go to your party?" Oz asked.

"And show up dateless? Are you insane? My reputation would be RUINED!" She played with the tail on her costume.

"Can't have that, now. Can we?" Oz said subtly scooting further away from her.

"Of course not! If I showed up dateless it would be like...something really bad."

"There's Willow. I'll see you Cordelia," Oz said and left.

"No one cares about my pain...I suffer alone."

Xander was finding this Halloween to be so not fun. Willow's reaction to HIS reaction to her outfit was...he didn't know what it was. But he knew that it would take as much chocolate as he could get to help this hurt.

He was confused then he was in pain as the mean little kid kicked him in the shin.

"Focus dummy. Forget the girl," the mean little kid said.

"Well excuse me. You know you'll understand someday," Xander said to the twerp.

"Ewww...girls have cooties," the mean kid said and every boy in the little "platoon" nodded.

"They grow out of them...trust me," Xander said, and got the kids on to the next house. While they were getting their loot, he looked across the street and saw Willow, and his heart skipped a beat. What was wrong with him...this was Willow. Study buddy, buddy buddy, Willow! And now the only thing that was on his mind was anatomy...specifically hers. Then it happened, he saw another guy come up with what looked to be half of her kids, they seemed to be planning where to go next when the other guy kissed Willow on the cheek. Xander stared in horror. Then he heard a familiar voice.

"You are so pathetic. Come on...there's more candy to get." the mean little kid said.

"Yeah...right...and I am pathetic...pathetic for not seeing it sooner. Damn me to hell...oh, yeah. I'm already there. First Buffy, now Willow." Xander said, mostly to himself.

"What are you talking about?" the mean little kid said.

"Nothing. Come on troops!" Xander called, looking back at Willow and her...erp... boyfriend.

Oz came back from the house with half the kids, all of who seemed pleased with the loot they've collected thus far. He saw Willow smile at him.

"Thank you for helping me Oz," she said.

"Thank you for letting me join you. I'm having fun," he replied.

"So where to next?" Willow asked.

"Let's see…it's getting close to 6:30 so we need to be heading back toward the school, so lets take Bradford and hit those houses to maximize the sugar high of these guys," Oz said.

"Ok," she agreed, and they headed down the street they had just hit to get to Bradford. Oz ran the back of two of his fingers down the back of her hand, knowing how skittish she was around him, and she jumped and eeped.

"Sorry," he said, smiling. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"Oh," she said. "It's ok, I mean it's not bad or anything."

He nodded and settled in to walking beside her, and he slipped his hand into hers. She didn't jump this time, and the smile she gave him was brilliant. He smiled back as they turned down Bradford. As they took their first couple of steps down Bradford he felt a slight charge to the air, then all of the kids changed into whatever they were wearing and immediately went nuts.

"What just happened?" Oz asked, bewildered.

"Oh, no…come on, we have to find Buffy!" she said, grabbing his arm in her excitement, and pulling him in the direction she last saw the Slayer.

"Why do we have to find Buffy?" he headed off after her as she broke into a run.

"She's the Slayer, she'll know what to do!" Willow sounded very sure of herself about this and Oz found himself glad that she wasn't just the shy thing she'd shown so far.

"Ok, you can answer questions while we look, do you know where she was planning to take her group?" Oz asked.

"I think she headed down Wilkerson Avenue," Willow answered as they ran.

"Ok, now what's a Slayer?" Oz asked between breaths as they jogged towards Wilkerson.

"The full title is Vampire Slayer, but she deals with more than just vampires. Magic, which this feels like, is real, demons are real and vampires are real," She said in one breath, and not for the first time Oz was amazed at Willow's ability to keep speaking when most mortals would be heaving for air.

"What about werewolves?"

"Never met one, and Buffy or Giles hasn't mentioned them."

"Frankenstein monsters?"

"Had that last month, met the same end as Shelly's monster," Willow said.

"He burned himself up?" Oz asked.

"Well, he was trapped in the old science lab when it burned down," Willow said.

"So he suffered the movie's ending, not the book's," Oz said.

Willow smiled at him as they turned down Wilkerson Avenue, "I'm impressed, most people don't know there was a difference," Willow said.

"Shelly's Frankenstein has been a favorite of mine, though the first time I read it, it gave me nightmares," Oz confessed.

"Really?" Willow asked.

"Yes…self immolation can't be a fun way to go," Oz said.

"You had nightmares of burning yourself?" Willow asked.

"Not specifically, but of being such a threat that I'd have to destroy myself, I guess I sympathized with the monster too much."

They jogged in silence for another few minutes then they finally saw Buffy.

"There she is," Willow said, and they picked up speed to reach her, fortunately, the Slayer was walking.

"Buffy!" Willow called, and the Slayer didn't turn, and seemed lost. "Buffy!" Willow called again, this time catching her friend on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, were you speaking to me?" Buffy said.

"Yes, Buffy! There something very bad going on, all of my trick-or-treaters turned into their costumes!"

"Well, I wouldn't know anything about that, but maybe you could help me, I seem to be lost. Where is the Columbia Studio complex? I'm supposed to be on set at dawn," Buffy said.

"I think we have a problem," Oz said.

This had to be the WORST Halloween of Cordelia's life, first Devon was out of town, then she missed her party, and now all of these short monsters were running around. Which meant she was now looking for Buffy and her loser friends. Just how pathetic could this get?

She was making her way to the school, which seemed to be Central Command or whatever for the spook squad. She was headed down Harrison when Xander backed into her back.

"Freeze! Who are you? Oh...civilian. Don't worry Ma'am, well take care of...whatever these things are," Xander said, sounding surprisingly...in charge, a part of her found it...attractive. Then, the rest of her wanted to vomit for thinking anything of the like about Xander Harris.

"What are you talking about, Xander? You know all about the weird things that go on in Sunnydale!"

"Who is this Xander and why do you think I'm him?"

"Xander is YOU dummy!" she said with a prod to his chest.

"Hey! Its not smart to insult someone with an assault rifle!"

Cordelia rolled her eyes, when she heard a familiar voice, and swore under her breath,

"Principal Stone!"

"Excuse me? Principal? No, I'm Commander Geoffrey Corbin, Chief Engineer of the _Intrepid_. Could you tell me what planet I'm on? It LOOKS like Earth, or rather Old Earth, but I can't see the constellations for the light," Ian said.

"Oh, for crying out loud, you are Xander Harris, and you are Principal Stone, clear?" Cordelia said poking them in the chest.

"My dear, there is little need to get worked up over this, now please, tell me which planet I'm on?" Ian said.

"EARTH! Duh! Why me...why me? My life STINKS!"

"Xander! Principal Stone! Cordelia!" she heard another familiar voice, great...Sears girl herself...Cordelia swallowed as she saw what Willow was dressed in, they were followed by Buffy who was looking a little frightened.

"This has to be a practical joke by the make-up department," Buffy said.

"Willow, you seem to know who you are. What is going on?" Cordelia pleaded.

"They've changed into their costumes. We need to get to Buffy's house," Willow said.

"Why?" Cordelia's eyes brightened.

"Supplies," Willow said, and led the way. They made good time getting to Buffy's house.

"Ok, Oz, stay here and help Cordelia keep an eye on them," Willow said as she headed upstairs.

"Are you sure this is Earth? Earth has no creatures like we've seen," Ian said.

"Yes, it is Earth, it's the twentieth century, and you've been exposed to LSD," Oz told Principal Stone.

"Oh...how long until it wears off?" Stone asked.

"Hard to say," Oz said.

Cordelia came over to him and whispered in his ear, "He really bought that?"

"Why not? It makes more sense than the truth, at least to the uninitiated."

"They are still out there," Xander said.

"I'm not surprised," Willow said as she came down with a handful of stakes, several vials of holy water and enough crosses for everyone.

"Excuse me, but...I know this is a barbaric time, but where might one relieve one's self?" Ian said.

"Huh?" Willow said.

"To put it bluntly, I must empty my bladder, while not critical yet, I'd rather take care of it before we start running for our lives again," Stone said.

"Oh!" Willow said, and gave him directions to the downstairs restroom, to which he went.

Then they heard the back door open and shut, they headed to the kitchen crosses ready only to see Angel.

"Good, glad to see you guys are all right, it's pure chaos out there," Angel said.

"You're here!" Cordelia said and threw herself at Angel, "Hold me."

Willow rolled her eyes and said, "No time, here you'll be better with these than any of us," she said handing Angel the stakes.

"Ok, what does everyone know?" Angel asked as they heard a muffled flush.

"Most everyone has turned into their costumes, except for me and Cordelia," Willow said, over another muffled flush.

"Why aren't you two affected?"

"They seem to be ignoring us, Xander is keeping watch, hey Angel," Oz said.

"Oz," Angel responded.

"You know each other?" Willow said.

"Yeah, Angel lives near the Bronze, we talk sometimes," Oz said.

"Back to business," Angel said interjecting, over a third muffled flush, "You, Cordelia, Oz and I haven't been affected, the question is why."

"Well you and Oz aren't even dressed up, that would be why for you, but Cordelia and I are," Willow said, over a fourth muffled flush.

"I'd better go check on Starfleet before he runs the water bill through the roof," Oz said.

"Starfleet?" Angel asked, "Or do I really want to know?"

"Principal Stone dressed up as a Starfleet officer and now thinks he is one," Willow said.

"As in Star Trek?" Angel asked.

"Yes," Willow said, "Cordelia, where'd you get your costume?"

"Partyworld, and I HOPE none of those little monstrosities damage it," Cordelia answered.

"And where'd you get your costume?" Angel asked Willow.

"Out of Buffy's closet," she said.

"Really?" Angel said, sounding intrigued, hearing a fifth flush and the bathroom door opening.

"It's really fascinating, to think that its all gravity fed...incredible," Stones voice came, Angel turned around as they came around the corner.

Angel's eyes flashed as soon as he saw Stone, "Get back from him!" Angel shouted, his game face going into place and the teens watched in horror as Angel staked their Principal.

_**Ireland**__**, 561 **__**A**__**. **__**D**__**.**_

Ríoghbhardán O'Braonáin swung his club at the unprotected head of the enemy, he wasn't sure just what this fight was about, but with the harvest just out of the ground he sure didn't have anything better to do, might as well beat on the southern whoresons some. Of course the thought that he might be one who got beaten didn't really enter into his mind. He was ostensibly a leader of his section, but the battle had devolved rather quickly into a rowdy brawl, still he had to keep up appearances.

"Come on boys! We've got these clap ridden whoresons on the run! Press them!" Ríoghbhardán shouted, the orders didn't have much effect, the lines had meshed into each other to the point that he had to be careful not to clobber one of his own men. A breeze had come up out of the west, cooling his sweating brow, it was good, unfortunately it helped the other side as much. He swung his club wildly aiming for defense as much as attack, he'd lost his shield early in the fighting, a common occurrence. Now he swung his club with near-reckless abandon in a two-handed grip, catching heads on its knobbed head. He didn't know how many he'd killed at this point, maybe none, you didn't have to kill to take some one out of the fight. That didn't mean that getting clubbed in the head with the weighty wood wouldn't kill, or worse knock you out of your senses. Ríoghbhardán suppressed a shudder at that thought…yes there were fates worse than death on the battlefield.

It happened suddenly, as such things do. He felt pain on the back of his skull, stars danced before his eyes as another whack hit him on the side of the head, and he was certain that he heard and felt his skull crack. He groaned and murmured, "Oh Great Saint Patrick, intercede on my behalf that this be a killing blow and not one that leaves me a fool!" As he said it yet another blow landed on the crown of his head causing everything to go black.

The first thing he was aware of was a dull throbbing in his head, he wasn't sure where he was, but something smelled good. Was it pork? They must be preparing a victory feast while he had recovered from his injuries, he still didn't quite feel like moving.

"Oy! Here's another! God there's so many…shame we have to burn them."

"Better that then leaving them for the animals, it's not a Christian burial, but it's more decent than that."

Ríoghbhardán decided that he'd better do something at this point, he tried to move only to find that he couldn't. He tried to open his eyes only for them to stay stubbornly shut, he felt rough hands grab him by the ankles, then another pair grabbed his arms under their pits. He felt himself be carried some distance, then he felt heat and the smell of roast boar filled his nostrils, his stomach tried to rebel once his mind processed what it really was. The two men started swinging his limp form, getting ready to put him on the fire, on the third swing he felt a pop in his back and at once his body started working again, he opened his eyes with a start and started flailing his arms and legs. The two men promptly dropped him and looked at him in horror and terror.

"What's the matter yeh fools! Canna not tell the living from the dead?" Ríoghbhardán yelled at them. The two men backed away from him, fear dancing in their eyes.

"Don't hurt us demon!" one of them cried.

"Demon? I'm no demon. I'm Ríoghbhardán O'Braonáin of Cill Eanaigh!"

The two fools stared and then deciding he wasn't going to devour their souls or whatever demons did ran as fast as their legs could carry them, which was fast enough to impress Rioghbhardan, if only grudgingly.

Cordelia looked at Angel. "Oh, great, now we are going to have to break in a new Principal."

Willow rolled her eyes, "Cordelia!"

Angel crumpled to his knees, his vampiric features retracted and his human face was utterly distraught.

"God...no...no..." Tears began trickling down his cheeks.

"Ummm...why is no one calling the police?" Buffy's voice came up.

"We can't! Angel would never survive the arraignment much less a trial," Willow said.

"He KILLED that guy in the pajamas!" Buffy screamed.

"Hey! Not so loud, you might attract those things!" Xander said, from the living room.

"Angel, why did you think Mr. Stone was a vampire?" Willow asked gently.

"I swear, first Mr. Flutie was eaten by hyenas, then Mr. Snyder was eaten by a vampire, now Mr. Stone was staked by a vampire! And why didn't anyone tell me Angel was a vampire?" Cordelia went on over everyone else.

"He looked so much like him...too much like him...it CAN'T be him...but...the face...I never forget a face..." Angel said, more to himself than to Willow.

"We've got trouble, don't we?" Oz said.

"Yes, Angel! Snap out of it!" Willow shouted.

"He...should be dead...should be dust...never forget a face...but it CAN'T be him..."

"Angel!" Willow shouted again, this time slapping him.

The pain of the strike caused Angel's game face to come down, and he growled, then said, "Huh?"

"We need you, if we're going to survive tonight, we NEED you!"

"The police are on their way," Buffy's voice said.

"What! Oh Buffy...you didn't..." Willow moaned.

"I did, and my name is Barbra thank you very much, you all are INSANE!" Buffy said, the she caught a look at Angel's face and screamed.

"Is Angel going to jail?" Cordelia asked.

_**Galway**__**, **__**Ireland**__**, 1739**_

Toirdhealbhach Ó Gallchobhair, formerly Ríoghbhardán O'Braonáin, who died on the field at Cúl Dreimhne walked up the cobblestone streets of Galway a couple hundred miles from that accursed field. He was getting introspective, it always happened this time of year, his birthday was coming up, and he sighed. It really could be worse, it could be next year's birthday, his twelve hundredth. The centuries weighed heavy on Toirdhealbhach's mind, while at the same time they seemed to rush by ever more quickly. He pulled a piece of paper from his jackets pocket and looked at it and nodded to himself, this was the correct address. He went up and knocked on the door. An attractive mid aged woman answered the door.

"Excuse me, Madam, but is this the house of Patrick Ó Bruadiar?"

"Aye, it is the house of Patrick Ó Bruadiar, who has come call on him?"

"My name is Toirdhealbhach Ó Gallchobhair, I have been contracted to tutor his son Liam," Toirdhealbhach replied, taking off his hat, the not quite spring air was crisp and cool. Not cold, but with just a hint of the passing winter.

"Oh of course Master Ó Gallchobhair, my Patrick has been expecting you. I am Liam's mother, Ciara," the lady said, bidding him enter with a hand.

"A pleasure, Mistress Ó Bruadiar. I thank you for your hospitality," Toirdhealbhach said as he entered the house.

"I fear mine husband is currently away on business and will not be home for several days, however he did anticipate that you might arrive before he returned and left written instructions," she went to a bookcase and produced an envelope.

"Very good, m'lady," he said taking the envelope from her hand and unsealing it. He took the papers out of it and read them carefully, but quickly. Once he was done with them he placed them back with a nod of satisfaction. "All seems to be as we agreed in our correspondence, where is the boy?"

Ciara went to the base of the stairs and called, "Liam! Come here, I have someone for you meet!"

"Coming Mother!" a young voice called down, noticeably breaking on the last syllable.

A boy of about twelve with dark hair and a face that in time would make young ladies swoon came down. At the moment, well, he was gangly. The poor child hadn't quite grown into his extremities as of yet. He had brown eyes, a broad nose, and his chin was already strong. However the thing that really stood out to Toirdhealbhach was the boy's smile, it shown bright and happy.

"Liam, this is Master Ó Gallchobhair. He's going to tutor you," the boy's mother said.

"I hope we can have a productive relationship, young Master Ó Bruadiar. When I'm done with you the world will truly be your oyster."

"I don't really care for oyster's, though," Liam said, bringing a smile to Toirdhealbhach's lips.

"Then young sir, it will be whatever you do care for."

"How does a man live for two hundred years and not be a vampire?" Angel asked, no one in particular.

"I don't know, and I don't care," Xander said from the door, "But the natives are getting restless, and we are going to need some more firepower to keep them out of the house."

"Just so long as you don't shoot them." Willow said, and screamed as he fired a three round burst out the door. "I thought I said not to shoot them. They are just little kids."

"Warning shot," he said. "What's with the hostility, lady? I haven't done anything to you."

"You have you just don't remember it," she said, taking a breath and standing up. "I'm going to go get Giles. Maybe he can do something about the principal, and maybe he knows something about this costume spell." She pointed a finger at Xander. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. If you die, I want to be the one to kill you."

Xander blinked a couple of times. "Yes, Ma'am," he said, saluting her. She opened the door and walked out, closing it behind her, and Xander resumed his watch at the door.

Cordelia walked into the room from the kitchen, stepping over the body of their principal and sitting by Angel. "You said you were a vampire, but you, as much as I hate contemplating it, dating the Slayer, the Vampire Slayer. How does that work?"

"I was cursed, a hundred years ago. I killed someone I shouldn't have, and a tribe of gypsies cursed me with my soul. I remembered every horrific thing I had done and could feel remorse and I did," he told Cordelia, and his eyes were haunted and hollow. Before she could think of anything to say she heard some muttering.

"Ohh...fuathaím aon uair tarlaíonn é seo," came the mutterings in some strange language. "Maith, nár chócarála siad mé SEO tréimhse."

"What is with the weird German accent?" she asked, trying to find the source of the gibberish.

"It's Gaelic," Angel said absently still staring at the stake, then Cordie spotted the source of the mutterings, and she screamed.

_**Galway**__**, **__**Ireland**__**, 1741**_

Toirdhealbhach's blade neatly parried fourteen year old Liam's as they sparred in the courtyard. Toirdhealbhach countered and put the boy on the defensive, though the lad gave ground and found his footing again.

"Very good, lad! You're improving! Now lets see if you can do that while reciting Marc Anthony's speech, in Latin," Toirdhealbhach instructed.

"You just can't stand the thought that I might beat you, can you?" Liam said, but then complied, his fighting suffered as his concentration was divided on the tasks. This wasn't the first time that the teacher had instructed his student to recite a piece of learning during their sparring matches. Most other fencing instructors would consider it the height of folly to have their students so distracted, however Toirdhealbhach was fully confident in both his own skills, and more so his pupil's. Liam was truly a gifted child, no, strike that, he wasn't a child anymore, he was a young man, not to the height of his powers yet, but rapidly approaching them. Toirdhealbhach had enjoyed the past two years here. Patrick was now more friend than employer, and his wife Ciara had become a doting sister in Toirdhealdbach's life. Then there was his charge…Liam himself had to be the shining jewel in the crown of happiness he wore. The lad was funny, smart, kind…truly the first time in a long time that the ancient one had feelings for another human being approaching those he had felt for his true younger brother, now dead over a millennium.

As Liam neared the end of the speech, not missing a single word and holding his own against his teacher, his teacher faltered. He felt It…it hit him right behind the eyeballs as normal. The distraction weakened his guard a little and Liam nearly skewered him.

"Tori! Are you alright?" Liam asked, concern coloring his voice.

"I'm fine, just a slight headache coming on. Come, your Mother will have lunch ready soon, I must be getting hungry."

"Sure, whatever you say," Liam said, but his tone revealed his disbelief of the excuse.

As they headed into the house Toirdhealbhach fully tasted the sensation he felt…yes…there was no doubt as to who it was. Marcus Arlenus, formerly of the 19th Legion of Rome, lost in the Teutoburg Forest along with the 17th and 18th. The legendary Lost Legions of Varus' last living member, and perpetual thorn in the side of Toirdhealbhach. He wanted to hurry, Marcus was dangerous, his mind had nearly broken in the German woodland, and while he could act the sheep he was very definitely a wolf. Still, Toirdhealbhach was shocked to hear Ciara scream. Both he and Liam ran into the house only to see the most horrible sight.

Ciara lay, bleeding from a open belly wound, her insides spilling out of the unnatural opening, her unborn child lay half in and half out of her womb. Toirdhealbhach heard Liam scream only to have his screams drown in vomit.

"Damn you Marcus! Must you destroy everything that is pure and good in the world!" he screamed in Latin, the only language the foul beast had ever bothered to learn.

"How, barbarian? How did she give you a child?" Marcus screamed back at him.

"You damn fool…she is the wife of my employer! The child is his…and you will die this time!" Toirdhealbhach launched himself to the former legionnaire, sword in hand. Marcus dodged, and parried the strike with his still bloody sword.

"Now is not the time for our battle, barbarian, there are too many eyes about. Meet me on holy ground and we'll discuss our…business."

Willow was moving as fast as she could towards the school, hoping Giles was still there. He legs were pumping, running hard . She was glad that she'd been running in gym class all this year. She ran past several former trick-or-treaters who were terrorizing a young mother and her baby. She really didn't pay attention as she made her way to the school from Buffy's house.

She came around a corner and screamed when she saw Spike standing in the road.

"Well, well…Red is all dressed up…Dru will be impressed," Spike said.

"What? " Willow said and then screamed again as Spike lunged toward her , but she managed to get the cross that had tucked into her back pocket out and he cringed.

"That wasn't very nice, Red," he said.

"Get away from me," Willow screamed, and he backed up a couple of steps, out of range of the cross.

"Red has spunk...and you are very beautiful. Shame to let it whither away, the sands of time are cruel to beauty. There is a way out," he told her casually, and she frowned at him.

"I'm not going to become a soulless monster like you," she screamed at him, and took off running, dodging around a crowd of monsters that had been little kids that morning.

"I'm not done with you, Red," he called after her, but the monsters surrounded him, trapping him long enough for her to get away.

She kept looking back, but he was keeping up with her. It was enough to make her almost think a dirty word.

"You can't run forever , Red!" Spike shouted, and she looked back, he was gaining. Damnit! She wasn't going to get away from him! What to do what to do? Then the worst thing in the world happened. She tripped.

Spike smiled as he saw Red stumble and go down, shame he couldn't make a meal out of her, after all the work she'd made him do, but he had promised Dru and he ALWAYS kept his promises...well to her...and mostly...sometimes. However this was one promise he intended to keep at any rate.

He leapt over a park bench and was on her in an instant, he stood over her and said, "Dru was right, you do belong with us in the Darkness, love. Don't worry, the pain won't last long and then you'll be like me. Strong and young forever." He inhaled deeply. "Your fear smells sweet, Red. Intoxicating. Never get that off of the Slayer, not that I'd ever admit it to her. Its really a shame we can't do this...ORFCK!" He finished clutching himself in a very sensitive part of his anatomy, doubled over, only to catch a face full of holy water...he face burned and he fell over in agony. Oh...she was FEISTY! He couldn't WAIT to see what she'd do to the Slayer when she was reborn into Darkness.

Giles heard a bang as the main library doors flew open, he turned to see a slightly disheveled, and out of character Willow enter. She was breathing heavy and her knees and elbows were scraped up.

"Willow! What happened, dear child?" he asked.

"People...turning into their costumes...Buffy thinks she's Barbara Eden...Xander thinks he's in the Army...Principal Stone...oh dear God! Principal Stone is...Principal Stone is..." she collapsed into tears as the stress of the night caught up with her.

Giles came over to her and she reached out and clung to him like a life preserver. He held her for a few minutes while she cried and then composed herself.

"Ok...now tell me what is happening? People changing into their costumes? And what happened to Ian?" Giles asked as Willow's sobs slowed.

"I'm sorry Giles...we don't have time...but...Angel staked Principal Stone...he's dead!" she said, barely keeping control.

"Oh dear...why did Angel stake Ian?" Giles asked.

"He thought he was a Vampire! He thought he recognized him...it's worse...Buffy called the police about it!" Willow said.

"Oh dear! And Buffy thinks she's..."

"Barbara Eden, we found an original Jeannie costume from "I Dream of Jeannie" at the new costume shop, it was expensive, but now that Buffy is getting paid...I talked her into buying it..." she stopped talking to fight back a new flow of tears.

"Who's with Angel now?" Giles asked.

"Xander, Oz and Cordelia. Oz didn't dress up and Cordelia is a cat," Willow said between sniffles.

"She actually turned into a feline? Incredible!" Giles said, intentionally misinterpreting the distraught girl, and having the desired effect, a small laugh came out of her.

"No...she's in a cat costume, she didn't change."

"Where did you say Buffy got her costume?" Giles asked.

"Its a new place, on High Street. Ethan's!" Willow said.

"Ethan's?" Giles said.

"Yes, does that mean something?" Willow asked.

"A ghost from my past come back to haunt me...you better go back to Buffy's house."

"But I want to help!" Willow protested.

"You have, Willow, you have. Now I'll take care of it, you go help Buffy."

Angel couldn't believe his eyes! Tori, or the...whatever that looked like Tori was sitting up, shaking his head. He heard Buffy scream again at this new sight. Angel went over to what looked like his old mentor. Once Tori's eyes met Angel's face he stiffened.

"Angelus! Get out of here kids! He's a killer! I don't know what kind of game you are up to demon but Liam's soul will rest tonight!" Tori shouted scrambling for a stake.

"Principal Stone! Angel is a good vampire!" Cordelia shouted.

"Miss Chase, there is no such thing as a good vampire!" Tori shouted.

"No...don't stop him. Go ahead, Tori, I deserve it," Angel said quietly.

"Huh?" Buffy said.

"I quite agree, Miss Summers," Tori said, "Liam...an tú atá ann?"

"Cinnte! Tori, táim...bhí mé mallaigh, le sin tincéir treibh. Ghéill cúl siad anam." Angel replied in the same language, meaning, 'Yes...Tori, it's me...I was cursed, by gypsies. They returned my soul so I would feel the guilt of all the lives I destroyed.'

"Damnaím iad...bheadh breis trócaireach má mhill siad túsa...ansin bheifeá saor téigh go do deireanach taca," Ian said, his words meaning, 'Damn them...been more merciful just to destroy you...then you'd be free to go to your final rest.'

"Tá sé feabhsaigh, anois. Bhínn ábalta cuidigh daoine," Angel told him, which translated as, 'It's better now, I've been able to help people.'

"How RUDE! Speak American PLEASE!" Cordelia interrupted.

"Forgive us Miss Chase...now what is the situation since I was staked?"

"Miss Pretty in Pink called the cops because we thought you were dead...speaking of, why aren't you dead?" Cordelia responded.

"Thank God it's Halloween," Mr. Stone said. He took Angel's hand as Angel helped him up.

"The monsters are moving off, I think we're ok for the time being," Xander said coming from the front. "What's he doing alive?"

"Long story, Mr. Harris. A very long story. I suppose we can always hope that the police are too busy to come here."

"As piss poor as the cops in this town are I wouldn't be surprised." Then there was a knock on the door.

It took Giles twenty minutes to get to the costume shop Willow told him about. He was hoping he was wrong, but he doubted it. He went into the darkened shop and headed to the back. Once he was in the back he saw an eerie green glow. It was emanating from a stone bust, a bust of Janus.

"Ethan! I know you're here, come on out! Only you would be behind something this...evil."

"Oh, come come, Ripper! Tweed doesn't suit you," Ethan said.

"End the spell, Ethan," Giles said.

"Or what? You'll assign me extra homework? You've gone soft Ripper!"

"No, I've only grown up. Shame to see you haven't. Now END this!"

"No. This is far too much fun."

Ethan then lunged at Giles, and tackled him, the two tumbled to the floor, Ethan tried to get his hands around Giles' throat, but Giles punched square across the jaw. This knocked Ethan off of him and Giles rolled and got to his feet, not as fast as his Slayer, but fast enough to deal with a git like Ethan Rayne. Ethan for his part was just a hair slower than Giles who slammed into him. The two of them hit the table that the Janus statue rested on, causing it to fall over and shatter. The eerie green glow faded.

"Oh, damn...you just HAD to ruin my fun, didn't you, Ripper?" Ethan said, Giles just glared at him, "Ripper...come on...now you have to admit that it really didn't hurt anyone!"

"You are irresponsible, you are cruel, you are leaving Sunnydale right now. If I EVER see you in this town again, I swear I will skin you alive," Giles said, not sounding anything like Giles.

"Ripper..."

"NOW Ethan! You have one minute to start moving or I WILL kill you right now."

"Fine...have it your way." Ethan said and started moving.

Ian went to the door and answered it and met Sunnydale's finest. "Yes, officers? What can we do for you?"

"We got a report of a murder at this address, may we come in and have a look around?" the officer said, he was of middle height and Ian was picking up a hint of a British accent.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I cannot let you in without a warrant, but there has been no murder here. Just a Halloween joke that got out of hand. If there were a murder here, I would have been the victim, as you can see by the fake blood on my shirt. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

The cops eyed him suspiciously. "Could you send the young lady out who called us?"

"Oh, I suppose," Ian agreed. "Barbara, could you come here, dear?"

Buffy edged around the door. "I guess I over-reacted," she said. "He's not dead, obviously, since he's talking to you."

"Thank you, Ma'am," the officer said.

"If there's nothing else, we have other calls to attend to," another officer said.

"No, nothing else," Buffy said.

Spike took another swig of the cheap whiskey he'd bought to cover up the pain of the holy water burns Red had given him. He was waiting outside the Slayer's house, until the cops left. Red would probably be back here soon if she hadn't gotten back already. The cops left empty-handed, finally.

"Ok, boys, get into position. Lets get us a Slayer," Spike said and watched as the lackeys moved out. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and used it to light the Molotov cocktail in his hand, actually, it was napalm...love the anarchists cookbook. He went up to the Slayer's door and knocked. The door opened revealing a man in a very bloody Starfleet uniform.

"What is this? Started the party without me?" Spike asked.

"No, Spike. I'd heard you were in town. Now leave," the bloody Starfleet officer said.

"Do I know you?" Spike asked.

"No, but I know of you," the man said.

"Really? Then you know I don't bluff. You see this? Little thing I mixed up. The things the Yanks let folks know about. And so simple to make."

"Make your point? I've had a long day," the man said.

"Who's there?" Spike heard a familiar voice ask.

"It's Spike," the bloody man said.

"Spike!"

"Is that Angelus? Delicious...now kids, here's the score, this house is surrounded, so don't think about trying to escape. You will survive if you give me what I want, and what I want is the Slayer and Red. Give them to me and you get to live," Spike said.

"Is that all?" the bloody man asked.

"Yup," Spike said.

"No."

"NO? I will burn this house down." Then he heard a scream and turned to see...RED!

"Well, well..." Spike said, and set down the the flaming jar.

"You don't frighten me," Red said.

"Yes I do, remember I can smell it Red," Spike said, then there was a shudder to the air.

"Hey! Spike! You kinda forgot something." He heard another familiar voice say.

"Slayer...oh...dear...that was rather sloppy of me. Ok...you win this one, but I will be back!" Spike turned and ran off, and heard the shatter and whoosh of his makeshift bomb go off and felt the heat. He turned and shouted, "You missed!"

"No I didn't," the Slayer said sweetly, then he smelled it and quickly pulled off his duster.

"Oh...that isn't right! I loved that coat!" Spike said and ran off into the night, followed by his surviving minions.

Oz ran out of the door as soon as he felt he could and not get killed. "Who was that creep?" he asked Angel.

"Old friend," he replied, and Oz nodded. He moved over to where Buffy was helping Willow up.

"You ok?" he asked her. She nodded, and threw her arms around him, and he had to hold her up as she started sobbing into his shoulder. "It's ok, Willow. Everything is going to be ok," he said.

"But what-what about M-m-mr. Stone?"

"I thank you for your concern, Lass, but it will take more than a stake through my heart to kill me," Ian said from behind Oz.

"Mr. Stone! You're ok!"

He put a hand out, restraining her from enveloping him in a hug. "While I appreciate the sentiment, Miss Rosenburg, I believe I should take a rain check on your exuberance. I fear your wardrobe would not survive, considering how much blood I'm covered in, and I'm still a bit sore."

She nodded, hanging on tighter to Oz instead.

Buffy closed the front door to her house, glad that everyone had pretty much been ok even after all that had happened. The kids had been rounded up, delivered back to their parents, and Xander had even been rewarded with a double dose of chocolate, courtesy of her agreement with him. She looked at her staircase, and the yummy honey who was sitting on her staircase. And she smiled because Angel was all hers.

"Tonight was interesting," Angel said.

"Yeah," she said, "I don't think I'm ever going to dress up for Halloween again."

"I don't blame you," he said, stretching one arm out. She pushed off the door heavily, and curled up in his embrace a step below him.

"So, you knew Mr. Stone back in your breathing days?"

"Yes...he was my tutor, if he's the same man," Angel replied.

"So not doing well in school?" Buffy asked laying her head on his shoulder.

"There weren't schools back then...or rather not like what you are familiar with. My family was reasonably well off and I was the first born son, I was expected to take over the family business when my father was too old to run it."

"So you were rich? Excited much about inheriting it?"

"Not really, the textile industry isn't very exciting, even if it is lucrative."

"Ah, and you had brothers and sisters?"

"Yes. I had a younger sister and my mother was pregnant when she was killed, it was the first real death I ever saw."

"That's terrible, how did it happen?"

"A monster, a human monster killed her...he seemed to know Tori...ah, Mr. Stone."

"What happened to the killer?"

"Tori said he'd taken care of it, my father wanted to do it himself, but Tori wouldn't let him. That was the last day I was ever truly happy until Darla did this to me."

"Do you trust him?"

"If that is Toirdhealbhach Ó Gallchobhair, he is the most honorable man I have ever known. I KNOW he'd lay his life down for you. If it is him."

"Tori-what?" Buffy asked, looking up at him like he'd lost his mind.

"Toirdhealbhach Ó Gallchobhair," Angel repeated patiently. "It's an Irish name, though the meaning of the first name is 'troublemaker.' Maybe it is Tori."

"You don't sound sure. Though I'm sticking to calling him Mr. Stone," she said, causing Angel to chuckle slightly.

"I'm not sure. The man I knew was alive, and mortal, heartbeat and the works. So does this man, but that was..."

"Over two hundred years ago. I see your point."

"Yes, but lets just recuperate for tonight, if he is a danger, it's longer range than just killing us and we have time."

"Good advice."

Giles had told Ian about Ethan once the little kids had gotten sorted out, and they went back to the shop together. "I wonder if he was the one in that Reagan mask," Ian mused. He had changed out of his costume into a dress shirt. He didn't put a tie with it or even tuck it in, it was Halloween, after all.

"I don't know. If I had been aware of this place, I would have been able to shut this whole thing down before he got this far."

"Don't blame yourself for Ethan's choices, Rupert. He is a grown man, just as you are."

"I feel responsible for introducing him to some of the nastier magicks that he's gotten into. I mean, worshiping Janus?"

"That sounds like our boy. He doesn't take the deaths of others as the lessons that he should. You shouldn't feel responsible because he got into chaos magic and it turned him into its servant."

Giles pushed open the door that had once held the costume shop, but it was bare and empty now. "Well, looks like he's gone for the moment," Giles said, and he picked up a card sitting on the counter. "Even with what I told him," Giles muttered, setting the card back down.

It said, _Be__seeing__you__._

_Fin__._


	3. Lie To Me

_In__every__generation__, __there__is__a__Chosen__One__. __She__alone__will__stand__against__the__Vampires__, __the__Demons__, __and__the__Forces__of__Darkness__. __She__is__the__Slayer__._

**AN****: ****So****this****is****chapter****three****. ****Its****based****on****the****episode****Lie****To****Me****. ****I****hope****you****enjoy****and****will****have****more****soon****. ****For****my****other****stories****Assimilation****and****Tribulation****, ****I****plan****on****continuing****them****but****it****might****be****a****while****as****I****am****working****on****my****own****novel****. ****Of****course****Buffy****belongs****to****the****genius****that****is****Joss****and****the****Immortal****concept****belongs****to****whoever****actually****owns****it****, ****I****tried****to****find****out****but****the****minute****and****a****half****I****devoted****to****the****search****turned****up****nothing****concrete****.**

It was early in the morning, but if Angel knew Tori, he'd be up, at the school already, probably. And he needed advice. Fortunately for him, the Principal's office was on the west side of the building, and wouldn't be in direct sunlight for several hours. He slipped into the school through the basement sewer entrance, and walked through the center hallway to the far side. There wasn't even a secretary in the administration area yet, but Tori was hard at work already. "Hóigh," he said quietly.

"Hóigh," Tori said, putting down his pen, and sitting back in his chair. "What are you doing about? It's daylight, won't you be trapped in the school until nightfall?"

"Not in this town. In the basement there are several connections into the sewers, and the sewers are a virtual city within themselves. There really isn't anywhere in the city that is not accessible from the them."

"I'll be sure to keep that door locked, then, until we can get something done about that."

"Most of the monsters in town respect the idea of learning enough to keep out of the school in general."

"Ah, but not all of them. William especially."

"That's kind of why I'm here. I need your advice."

"Certainly, certainly, Liam. You know that I will help you if I can."

"How much do you know about what I did after I turned?"

He laced his hands behind his head, and looked up for a moment thinking. "Oh, most everything, I suppose. I tracked you once I learned of what happened to your family, and once you fell from the face of the earth, I spent a good deal of time studying the Watcher Council's chronicles of your exploits. I had no idea what the reason was that you'd stopped killing. I was fairly certain that you hadn't been killed, but I didn't know what your game was. So, what's on your mind?"

"Drusilla," Angel breathed out.

"Hmmm. Didn't she die in Prague recently?"

"No, apparently. She is here. I saw her last night. She was trying to go after a eight, maybe nine-year-old boy."

"You stopped her."

"From eating that kid, yes. But I don't think I can bring myself to kill her. I made her what she is. I broke her and I made her what she is. I don't think there is any one thing I am more ashamed of than what I did with Drusilla."

"Liam, you have to. You have to help her find release."

"I don't know if I can, as sick as it sounds it would feel like killing my own daughter."

"That would make it difficult I suppose," Ian said and steepled his fingers "So, Drusilla is here, and William is here, and that makes for two vampires we really don't need on the Hellmouth. Do you think they are here because the Hellmouth is drawing them?"

"I don't know. She's a bit unpredictable," Angel replied.

"It won't be easy, Liam," Ian said gently. "But you have friends who will help you."

Ian walked into the library. Giles didn't typically get as early a start as he did, but he'd had a year or so to adjust to the American time zones and what not. He was there, looking through Vampire chronicles. "Rupert?" he called out, and Giles looked up.

"Ian, how are you?"

"Well enough. What are you up to, lad?"

Giles smiled, the irony of Ian, who looked no more than twenty-five, calling him "lad" and meaning it, then said, "Well, Spike, actually. A vampire of some repute."

"I'm familiar with the little git, met him on Halloween, and he attacked the school on Parent Teacher night, if my information is correct." Ian said.

"Yes, I'm trying to figure out why he is here," Giles said.

"Undoubtedly he's here for Drusilla. Liam told me he saw her last night." Ian said

"Liam?" Giles asked.

"Oh, Angel, Angelus, whatever he's calling himself now," waving away thought of the differences in what one called the man who had been his student in life.

"Hmmm," Giles looked thoughtful for a second, then pulled another book over. "There's a report of her being killed in Prague last year by an angry mob," he said, opening the book to the appropriate place.

"I heard that rumor as well. Makes me wonder how accurate your Watcher network is, if she's wandering around Sunnydale."

"How do you know Angel, anyway?"

"I've known him since he was twelve, before he was changed," Ian said, and Giles dropped the book he was holding.

"Oh," Giles said, picking the book back up and sitting.

"He was the reason I got involved with the watcher Council in the first place," Ian told him, sitting down and propping his feet up on the chair next to him, thinking seriously. "He was my student before Darla got a hold of him. She turned him into a monster, and then other things happened," Ian sighed.

"Oh," Giles said. "It's difficult to think of you as being older than Angel."

"Mortals always seem to have that problem at first, hell sometimes I have a hard time believing it. But on the subject of Drusilla and Spike, the question is why are the two of them in Sunnydale, where the Slayer is? I don't think Spike would come here just to raise his kill count, though he does like a challenge. It took him two years to kill Nikki."

"Nikki?"

Ian pulled a book over, one that covered the appropriate topic. "Slayer he killed in the seventies. One of many reasons that the Council determined that they no longer required my services. I had told them that they needed to do something about her, that she was going to be dead if they didn't heed the prophecy," he had leafed through to a section about Spike, and handed the book to Giles.

"William the Bloody, also known as Spike, has killed two slayers since he was made nearly a hundred years ago," he read. "When was this written?" Giles asked idly, checking the front of the book for it's recorded dates.

"I don't know. He was sired in 1880, killed Xin in 1900, and Nikki in 1977. I imagine it was shortly after Nikki's death."

Giles sat, moving the book over closer to him, and set to reading the all-too-brief section on William. "What do you know that can add to what's here?"

"William was always very loyal, both as a human, and now as a vampire. Even now, once he gives his word, he does his best to hold up his end of something. He's quite attached to Drusilla, they've been together for over a hundred years, though for the first few of those, Angelus traveled with them. It took all three of them to take me down, though it was Angelus's idea to try to sire me. Vampire blood does not taste good, by the way. They killed me and they buried me. One of Drusilla's favorite games, to turn someone then bury them so they have to crawl out. Took me a week to get out, and a couple of months to fully recover, and by then I'd lost track of them. It wasn't long after that that Angel parted their company and completely fell off the radar of the Council."

"And so your interest in Drusilla and Spike waned?"

"To some extent. I had a healthy respect for their ability to make my life less than pleasant, and I was ready for a rest in the Isles."

The door to the library opened, and Jenny Calendar walked in. "Oh, I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"Not at all, Miss Calendar, I was just catching up with Rupert on some matters of personal concern. I should get back to my office," Ian said, swinging his legs down and standing up.

"I will do some more research, and see if I can come up with a theory or two."

"Very well, Rupert. I will leave you to it," Ian said, and left.

Later that afternoon, Ian watched an animated young Slayer approach the office with a boy he'd never seen before. She had been studiously avoiding talking to him since All Hallow's Eve, not that he was particularly surprised. Perhaps this would be a good time to speak with her. He walked out of his office to the sound of her laughter, which was a good, happy sound. "What have we here?" he asked the two of them.

"Oh, Mr. Stone," her good mood evaporated. "This is Ford, uh, Billy Fordham. He's going to be transferring in from Hemery."

"So how long have you known Miss Summers?" he asked the boy.

"Seven years, sir," he said, straightening unconsciously. Ian tended to have that effect on people. "We're good friends."

Ian nodded. "The enrollment office is here," he said, indicating the appropriate door. "If you don't mind me taking a few minutes of your time, I'd like to speak with you, Miss Summers." She rolled her eyes, but she nodded. "My office, then," he said, leading her in and shutting the door behind her.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything that's on your mind. You've been avoiding me, and I could certainly understand why, but that's not going to work for long, not if we are going to work together, " Ian said, sitting on his desk.

"Ok," she said, crossing her arms, "Let's start with how old you are."

"I was born, at least as far as I can figure accurately, 1457 years ago. I believe that Giles did tell you that I am a great deal older than I appear, and that will never change. I do not age. I look, aside from cosmetic things like the length and style of my hair, exactly as I did when I died, in the Year of our Lord 561."

"No joke?" she asked. "So is that how you have so much money?"

"For the most part. I have been a fair businessman when I have had need, and learned many, many things. I have had the occasion to enter a monastery when my soul was in need of healing, and have learned a number of languages in that way, and other knowledges. I have interacted with the Council for the last two hundred years, since about the time that Liam became a Vampire."

"Liam? Oh you mean Angel?" she asked, he nodded confirmation, and a dark mood descended on her. "Why did he change his name?"

"You would have to ask him. He carried that name for all the time that I knew he was a Vampire. They called him Angelus, or the Demon with the Angel's Face, among other things. I'm sure you can understand why."

"Yeah, I can understand why," she said, sighing. "Tall, dark, mysterious and totally dreamy. Say, you know Angel probably better than anyone, is he the type to cheat?"

"What's with that?" Ian asked taken aback by the non sequitur.

"Well, I was patrolling last night, and I was out at the park and I saw Angel."

"And?"

"And a girl. She was wearing a white dress, but it was old, and she was really pretty," she said, biting her lip.

"Oh, I see," he said, "Liam told me this morning about that encounter. Why does it concern you?"

"Why did he tell you and not me?" she asked, not answering his question her mood somewhere between hurt and curious.

"Probably because I'm the closest thing to a father he has," Ian said, leaning on his desk.

"Ok...he told me that you tutored him, but I didn't know that you were that close."

"I spent more time with the lad than his father did," Ian said simply.

"Oh...that is awful!" Buffy said suddenly wishing she could hold Angel.

"It was a different time, Buffy. Liam's family was well off and he was the eldest...but he told you all of this already," Ian said.

"Yes, we talked after the craziness Halloween," she said..

"How long have you had feelings for him?" Ian asked.

"What? Hmmm I don't think I need to discuss my love life with you," Buffy said.

"That long?"

"I get enough of this from Willow I don't need you doing it too," she said.

"Forgive me if I'm prying, but you are the one who described him as, and I quote, 'totally dreamy'," Ian said.

"You don't approve?" Buffy asked.

"It isn't my place to judge where you heart leads you Buffy. I will have to discuss this revelation with your mother though," Ian said quietly.

"You can't!" she exclaimed.

"I have a responsibility to Buffy, he's older than the nation of your birth and while I can't judge you, you are only sixteen and your mother needs to be aware of the situation," Ian said and frowned at the glum look on the young Slayer's face. "Oh buck up, Buffy. I'm going to give her some advice in how to deal with this which will strongly suggest that trying to keep you two apart would be counter productive. I'll also point out that she won't have to worry about any unforeseen consequences of your relationship with him, should you and he be caught in...shall we say a weak moment?"

"I can't believe this! My life sucks, I'm having a birds and bees talk with my principal who is paying me over a million dollars a year to kill the undead."

"One of which I just put totally unwholesome thoughts of in your head?" Ian said with a smirk.

"Are you sure you aren't evil?" Buffy said shooting him a withering look.

"Go on to class, Buffy," Ian said with a chuckle.

Angel was standing at the bar in the Bronze when he felt Buffy coming, like a breeze through his life. He turned to greet her. "Hi," she said cheerfully.

"Hey," he smiled, "I was hoping you would show."

She noticed the glass in his hand. "You drink. I mean drinks, non-blood things," she said, and the bartender came up and she said, "Sprite," to him.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," he said morosely.

"Like how you really feel about me?" she asked quietly,

"Where did this come from?" he asked.

"I was patrolling last night and saw you with a girl," Buffy said.

Angel looked down. "I'd rather not talk about it," he said, and by that time her drink had arrived.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because it hurts," Angel said.

"Who is she?" Buffy asked.

Angel sighed, "You aren't going to drop this are you?"

"I will if you tell me you don't care for me," she said.

"That is playing dirty," Angel said sighing again.

"Alls fair in love and war, which is this?" Buffy asked.

Angel loosed a snort, "There is alot that I've done that I'm ashamed of Buffy and I'm scared."

"Of what?" she asked.

"That if you know all about my past you'll just see the monster. Especially where it comes to Dru,"

"Dru?" she asked.

"The girl you saw me with last night, I had just stopped her from making a boy a midnight snack," Angel said.

"Who is she?" Buffy asked.

"I turned her, but that isn't the worst I did. I was sadistic about it. I visited every torture on her mind that I could think of. In the end I broke her, she's insane now and I did it to her and once she broke I turned her. Now how can you love someone who did something like that?" Angel said and got up and started to leave but Buffy grabbed his arm.

"That wasn't you...Liam," Buffy said.

"Where'd you hear that name?" Angel asked.

"Principal Stone, he calls you that out of habit, I think," Buffy answered.

"He used to do it to piss me off, before I got my soul back," Angel said with a bitter laugh.

"Why didn't you go back to using your human name?" Buffy asked.

"I don't deserve it. It was a good name, my father built my last name and he gave me my first one, and I spit on it and dragged it through the refuse, then I became a vampire, and killed him for it," Angel said.

Buffy sighed, "So you don't think you are worthy of love? Because you made mistakes?"

"Not just mistakes, Buffy. Most people's youthful indiscretions...they end up with a few embarrassing memories or a poorly placed tattoo, mine...mine created a force of evil that very few things could match," Angel said.

"So what are you going to do? Run away?" Buffy asked.

"No, I tried that for the better part of a century, it doesn't work," Angel admitted.

"Ok, so give me a chance. Let me in and let ME decide if you are worthy of being loved," Buffy said.

"Ok," Angel said, not sounding totally agreeable.

"Good! Now lets get over to my friends before Ford destroys my reputation completely," Buffy said, taking him by the hand.

"Hi, Angel," Willow said as they approached the pool table that Buffy's friends were gathered around.

"Angel, this is Ford. We went to school together in L. A.," Buffy said, and Angel reached over, shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you," Angel said.

"Whoa, cold hands," the boy commented.

"You're not wrong," Xander said, and both Willow and Buffy gave him hard looks.

"You're going to school here in Sunnydale?" he asked.

"Yeah, finishing out my senior year."

Angel nodded, putting his hand protectively around Buffy. "Did you want to play?" Willow asked.

"Sure," he said, setting his drink on a nearby table and picking up a cue stick.

They teamed up with Angel and Buffy on one side and Willow and Ford on the other, and Xander sitting out. After a few shots, he noticed a couple of vamps taking off out the back. It wasn't their turn, and he had his arms draped rather possessively around Buffy. He tightened his grip, and put his mouth very close to Buffy's ear. "Two vamps just followed a girl out back, you want to go or do you want me to?"

She turned her head into his. "I can handle it, but come rescue me if I need it?"

He gave her hand a squeeze of acknowledgment and dropped his arms, and she took off after the two fledglings, and he kept his ears open for her as the game continued.

"Where's Buffy going?" Ford asked.

"Bathroom," Angel said casually. "She'll be right back."

Ford didn't look particularly convinced, but Angel's lack of concern seemed to put him more at ease. "Alright," he said, lining up for his shot.

He made that shot and the next one, but then missed. Angel noticed Buffy come back in and duck into the bathroom, probably to ensure that she hadn't mussed her clothes. He smiled as he tried a particularly tricky shot. He made it, barely, but it was enough to impress Xander. "Whoa, Angel, nice shot."

"Thanks, Xander."

"You're welcome," he said, "Glad to know that I still exist."

"Of course you still exist," Angel said, wondering what he'd done to earn him the wrath of one of the females in his life. "But I'd tread carefully," he said playfully. "Never know how long that will last."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know what you did, but Willow keeps looking at you like she'd rather see you dead, or in considerable pain."

"Is it that obvious?" Willow asked Angel.

"No, but you might try forgiving him sometime this century," he said, "I'm sure he'll do worse things, and then you can kill him."

"Yeah, maybe," Willow said, and Angel leaned over to take another shot, which he missed.

"Aw," Buffy said, back from the bathroom.

"It's ok," Angel told Buffy, wrapping his arms around her again. "I think we can still win." He leaned down to whisper again. "How did it go?"

"Easy marks. Three hits each and they were down," she whispered back. As Willow took her turn and missed also.

"Good," he said, grazing his lips across her ear, making her shiver.

"Um, don't you two have a game to play?" Xander asked, interrupting their private moment. Tact, that was what the boy needed. And a large dose of it by the daggers Willow was shooting at him with her eyes.

Buffy giggled, tearing herself away from him. "I guess," she said, and she took her shot, sinking the last two solid balls. She pointed to the side pocket. "There," she said, and then sent the eight ball in. "Yay!" she cheered, and went over to Angel, kissing him in front of everyone.

Ian knocked on the door of the Summers' home and smiled when Buffy's mother opened the door.

"Mr. Stone! What are you doing here?" Joyce asked.

"I came across some information that I thought you might want to know today about Buffy's personal life," he said as she motioned him in.

"What about her personal life?" Joyce asked.

"She seems to have formed a romantic attachment to someone that I don't know if you'd approve of, considering he is considerably older than she is. Indeed he's older than the United States," he said.

"Angel," she said, leaning back.

"You don't sound surprised," Ian said.

"Not really, he is easy on the eyes and he's mysterious and strong and I'm sure he's helped protect her on occasion, and she's sixteen," Joyce said with a sigh.

"And easily twitterpated," Ian said with a small smile.

"You're right, I'm not happy about it, but I'm not sure what to do about it. I can't forbid them from seeing each other and it really helps to know there is someone out there that can help her when she needs it. Yet..." Joyce said trailing off at the end.

"Yet. It might help to know that Liam is a good lad, Joyce," Ian said.

"Liam?" Joyce asked.

"Angel, sorry Liam is his human name," Ian said wistfully.

"You knew him then, didn't you?" Joyce said, quietly.

"What makes you say that?" Ian said, his tone neutral.

"You've got proud parent written all over your face. Is he your son?" Joyce asked, seemingly taking this revelation in stride.

"Alas no. I tutored him when he was a boy. You seem to be taking this well," Ian said, impressed with her insight.

"Is it a bad sign when weirdness starts to seem normal?" she asked with an almost bitter laugh.

"Probably, but then again you live on a Hellmouth which means that attitude will keep you sane," Ian said.

"How old are you?"

"One thousand four hundred fifty-seven, I'll be one thousand four hundred fifty-eight in March," he said.

"Oooookkkkkkaaaayyyyy, that just zoomed past my weirdness limit. Drink?" Joyce asked rising from her chair.

Ian smiled, "Yes, please. It's not common for me to let that slip out casually like that."

"You're worried about them, aren't you?" Joyce asked as she got up and got two glasses and poured two glasses of brandy.

"Yes I am. I do think of Liam as a son and while I haven't known your daughter very long I am very impressed with her. She's a special young woman," Ian said.

"So since you have so much experience in life do you have any ideas about what to do about Angel and Buffy?" Joyce said smiling at his characterization of Buffy.

"Yes I do, I think we should do nothing," he said.

"Nothing? Why?" Joyce asked.

"Buffy needs room to make normal mistakes, it's part of growing up and there's little risk here. If we are right, she's in for an emotional bruising, but no worse than anyone else who fell in love at sixteen. I think they'll eventually drift apart. Indeed it will probably be harder on Liam than Buffy. She'll probably royally screw this one up, just like everyone else does at her age. It won't be the end of the world. Though she might think it is when the wheels fall off," Ian said.

"I'm not sure I like that. She's my only little girl," Joyce said sadly.

"I know, it isn't easy. However, you can't keep her safe from everything, Joyce. Even if she was a normal girl and there was nothing that went bump in the night."

Ian was preparing for bed when there was a knock at his door. "Liam," he said when he answered, and he stepped out onto the porch. "What can I do for you, my boy?"

"I don't like asking this," Angel said, looking down at his hands, fidgeting.

"Suspicious of something?" Ian asked as he sat down on the swing. Liam chose to sit on the edge of the porch.

"Yeah."

"What?"

"Not what, who. This friend of Buffy's from L. A."

"Fordham? I intended on a look at his records tomorrow. He was in the registration office this afternoon. He seems a right sort of chap, but I was more interested in a meaningful conversation with Buffy, so I might have missed something."

"What kind of conversation with Buffy?" Angel asked.

Ian snorted and said. "We talked about me being an immortal, and a little of you." The older man then laughed and said, "In fact she had a look on her face that I haven't seen since Lisa was sixteen."

"Lisa?" Angel asked.

"My daughter, I adopted her from a Vietnamese orphanage in 1955. She was five at the time. She still calls. She knows about me but none of her family does," Ian said, the pain of the separation creeping into his voice.

"I'm sorry, Tori, at least she cares enough to call. So what is it about you?" Angel said.

Ian sighed and said, "You saw on All Hallows Eve I can not be killed, at least not conventionally,"

Liam looked down at his hands. "You're immortal?"

"I would have thought that would have been obvious. I am far older than you, as you've probably surmised. 1457 years, give or take."

"Almost as old as the Master," he noted. "He was 1600 when Buffy killed him last year."

"Cheery thing to compare me to," Ian said with a rueful chuckle.

"Sorry, but most of the people I know that are that old are vampires." Angel said wincing, then changed the subject. "What did Buffy say about me?"

"Oh dear...you've got it as bad as she does, don't you lad?" Ian said.

"Got what," Angel said.

"You love her, don't you?" Ian asked.

"Is it that obvious?" Angel asked.

"It wouldn't be to everyone, but Miss Rosenberg picked up on it," Ian said.

"What am I going to do? Once she learns everything I've done..."Angel began only to have Ian interupt him with a shout.

"STOP!"

"Stop what?" Angel shouted back.

"Stop thinking that what that monster did was you doing it," Ian said.

"Yeah, I tried tell myself that for first few years after I got my soul back. It doesn't work," Angel said.

"Because you don't believe it?"

"Because its a bunch of horseshit made up by grieving people whose loved one became what I am...a monster," Angel said angrily, letting his true fear out.

"Bullshit." Ian said.

"What do you know about it, you've never been a vampire, in spite of my best efforts," Angel said.

"No, but I do know that it was a demon that did those things. A demon that took your face," Ian said, putting a hand on the vampire's shoulder.

"How do you know?" Angel said.

"Because you haven't done them since getting your soul back. If you were a monster you wouldn't have let a pesky soul stop you, there are people everyday with souls do terrible things and you aren't one of them," Ian said.

"I'll try to remember that," Angel said.

"Do or do not...there is no try," Ian said solemnly.

"You know if I was evil I'd be killing George Lucas for writing that," Angel said with a laugh.

"Now I believe you had requested me to invade the privacy of one of my students?" Ian said.

"Yes, and I'm sorry but I've learned to go with my gut over the years," Angel said.

"Understandable," Ian said then stood up. "Come by the school tomorow just before sunrise and we'll look," Ian said.

"Thanks," Angel said and left his former tutor to sleep.

Angel came to the school just before dawn to find Ian already there, looking concerned.

"What is wrong?" Angel asked as he entered the office.

"Its missing," Ian said.

"What is?"

"Mr. Fordham's file is not here. I know I saw him in admissions," Ian said confused.

"Why wouldn't he have a file?"

"I don't know, he should if he enrolled into school. Let me check something," Ian said going to his computer he tapped a few keys and frowned.

"What is it?" Angel asked.

"There isn't even a request from Hemrey for his transcripts," Ian said, picking up the phone and dialing.

"Yes, has Principal Johnson arrived yet Good, this is Ian Stone Principal of Sunnydale High...Clint, how are you? Good...wonderful...I am sorry to bother you so early but I have a bit of a mystery here...Yes, Clint more than normal...Ha ha, very funny...Yes I intend to be careful, anyway, I have a transfer from your school...Billy Fordham...Ok...Really? Interesting. It seems he came up here and pretended to enroll...Thank you for the information...You too, good bye," Ian said hanging up the phone after the conversation.

"Cancer?" Angel asked, confirming what his superior hearing had picked up.

"Yes...six months to live. I don't like it," Ian said.

"I knew he was bad news," Angel said.

"I agree it IS disturbing, but it could be perfectly innocent at the same time," Ian said thoughtfully.

"Innocent?"

"Yes, he may just want to spend time with an old friend before the end."

"She hasn't mentioned him telling her this," Angel said.

"True, but that could be because he doesn't want to burden her," Ian replied.

"I suppose, are you planning on telling her?" Angel asked.

"I don't know, on one side I think she has a right to know, on the other Mr. Fordham has a right to his privacy," Ian said, ignoring the irony.

Buffy had been immediately nabbed by Ford as soon as she had hit school grounds, and she was walking with him when she caught sight of her favorite redhead. "Willow!"

"Oh, Hi, Buffy," she said, then got a drink from the water fountain. "What's up?"

"Do you want to hang? We're cafeteria bound."

"No," she said, looking pained, "Oz wanted to show me some new program on the computer, that plays music or something. It's kind of buggy, and he thought I could help him with it. Hi, Ford," she said, just then noticing him.

"Morning."

"Okay, Will. Just don't go off the deep end on this whole Oz thing because of Xander."

"I won't, I mean, I don't," she paused, taking a breath, smiling. "I'm not dating Oz because of Xander. I like him, and we talk about stuff, different stuff from what I talk about with Xander. And he's so sweet, and..." at this point Buffy put her hand on Willow's wrist.

"Okay, okay, I get the point. You like him for him not because he's not Xander. Just let Xander off the hook, please?"

"Why?"

"His puppy dog eyes are giving me puppy dog eyes," Buffy said.

"Oh...I thought he only did that to me," Willow said.

"Nope! Just think about it. Now go, have fun," Buffy insisted, and Willow took off.

"Nice girl," Ford commented.

"There aren't two of those in the world."

Coming down the hall toward them were the principal and Giles. "Ah, Buffy, I have something for you, could we see you alone for just a moment? Oh, and wait here Mr. Fordham, I meet with all new students and haven't had a chance to meet with you as of yet," Ian said.

"Yeah, sure," she said, and turned to Ford. "I guess I'll be back in a minute," she said, and he nodded.

Mr. Stone escorted them to a nearby empty classroom, and presented her with a small white box. "For me?"

"Certainly. Didn't think about it until Mr. Giles told me what was going to be happening tonight," he said, and she opened the box. Inside was a black phone.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"Yes, it is. I have taken the liberty of giving the number to Mr. Giles, but I'm sure you would want him to have it. My number is programmed into it, or so the clerk assured me when I purchased it."

"And speaking of numbers, Buffy, Ms. Calendar and I are going...somewhere tonight, and she's given me the number of her beeper thingy, in case you have need of me."

"Ok," she said shaking her head in surprise. "I can have this in school?" she asked, looking up at Mr. Stone.

"On silent. I don't need teachers coming to me complaining. Also you may use this to call your friends, but don't abuse it too much, please,"

Her eyes widened. He was giving her an awful lot of responsibility, but with that was coming a large dose of trust. "Yes, Mr. Stone," she said around the big lump in her throat, and she slipped the phone into her back pocket, along with the phone number that Giles had handed her. "And I'll call Mr. Stone first tonight, so that you can enjoy your date."

"Well, I don't know that enjoy is going to be my first choice of adjectives. She refuses to tell me where we are going."

"Go," she insisted. "Experience this thing we call fun. Do not worry about your Slayer. She can survive for one night without you, because she has all sorts of nice people on her side who will let you have the night off."

"It rather disturbs me when you speak of yourself in the third person, Buffy."

"Fun. You will have it. I want a full report tomorrow," she told him, shaking a finger at him, and stood to leave.

"Oh, that's right you wanted to talk to Ford," she said.

"Yes, you go on to lunch, I won't keep him long," he said.

Ian led Ford to his office and had him close the door.

"Were you planning on telling Buffy about your condition?" Ian asked before Ford could sit down.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Mr. Stone," Ford said, a bit defensively, sitting.

"I make it a habit of knowing what is going on in my students lives, Mr. Fordham. Of course you aren't actually one of my students now, are you?"

"No...Look, Buffy was my best friend in LA. I had kinda hoped that someday we'd be more, then the fire happened and you know the rest," the boy said.

"She moved and you were diagnosed with cancer," Ian said.

"In a nutshell. You haven't told her, have you?" Ford asked.

"No, I haven't. Your medical records are yours and I can't in good conscious discuss them with anyone. However, if you want some advice, you should tell her. She will find out sooner or later anyway," Ian said.

"It's not as easy as it sounds," Ford said.

"No...I don't suppose it would be. Of course I've never had to face what you are," Ian said, sympathetically.

"Thank you," Ford said.

"Now go before Buffy has an excuse to beat me to death with her lunch tray," Ian said as Ford smiled at the joke.

Buffy knocked on the door to Angel's apartment and paced for a few seconds and went to knock again, but stopped herself. She then shook her head and turned to leave.

"Buffy?" Angel said opening the door, and sounding like he just woke up.

"I didn't wake you did I?" she asked wincing.

"Actually yes, you did. What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see if you'd be at the Bronze tonight. We could hang, after my patrol," she said.

"Don't you want to catch up with your friend, Ford?" Angel asked.

"He hasn't said anything about hanging," she said.

"You should, friendship is important and he did just get into town. Besides, I have plans with Tori...Ian...Principal Stone," Angel said.

"What kind of plans?" she asked.

"Dru. Hopefully the kind of plans that result in her being dustbuster fodder," he said.

"You're trying to be funny," she said.

"And by the way you aren't laughing I wasn't very successful," he said.

"It was a good attempt, I just get wiggy thinking about you fighting without me there."

"I'll be fine, Ian will be with me and I have been in my share of fights over the years," he said.

"Sorry, I know. I just worry when I can't see you. So tomorrow then?" she asked.

"I'd love to," he said with a smile.

"So the grand tour?" Ford said as he met Buffy at the school.

"Yup," she said smiling. She was beautiful, shame what he was here to do really.

"So you and that Angel guy looked kinda close the other night. Kinda surprised you're here with me instead of with him," Ford said.

"It was his idea. He said friendship is important and I think he's right," she said quietly.

"He's older than you are, how is your mother taking that?" Ford asked, beating back a sudden unexpected spike of guilt.

"She hasn't really had time to process that we're a couple. She still thinks we're more coworkers," Buffy said as they passed the Bronze.

"Must be love for the Slayer to date a Vampire," Ford said, nonchalantly

"Excuse me?" she said.

"You heard me," Ford said trailing off.

"Ummmm...how long have you known?" she asked.

"Since just before you burned down the gym," Ford said.

"Why can't I keep this a secret?" Buffy said, irritated.

"Maybe you don't really want it to be one?" Ford said.

"Maybe, I have to admit it makes it easier not having to lie to everyone," she said.

"I bet. So how old is Angel?"

"He's celebrated his bicentennial," Buffy said quietly.

"Which brings me to my original question. How does that work?" Ford said.

""He has a soul," she said and looked around and saw they were back at the school. "Wow some tour guide I am."

"It was fine, it was nice to be able to catch up. Ummmm...two not so live ones!" Ford said.

Buffy handed him a cross, "I swear, I never get any peace and quiet."

Ford pulled out his stake and smiled.

"Just stay close to me," she said and he was struck by the total change in her demeanor now that she was on the clock, so to speak.

They reached where the vampires were headed and Buffy cautiously looked around, "Where did they g-." A blonde vampire interrupting her by grabbing her head and leaning in for a bite.

Angel met Ian in his office. The vampire and immortal embraced and then Ian poured himself a drink.

"Are you ready for this, lad?" Ian asked.

"I don't know. But it has to be done," Angel said, looking glum.

"I know its not easy, Liam," Ian said, sipping the whisky.

"I'll be fine, Tori. Shall we go?" Angel asked.

"Yes, and let's hope she's out," Ian said and they headed out of his office.

Buffy punched the vampire in the face forcing her from her neck and then did a leg sweep knocking her down. Buffy went for the kill only to have the vampire roll out of the way causing her to stake the sidewalk. The vampire got to her feet and ran off. Buffy started to give chase only to be caught by the male vampire. She punched him and saw Ford chase after the female vamp.

"Ford! Don't!" she screamed and then she swore when he didn't listen. She elbowed the male vamp in the face and flipped him over her back onto the concrete. She went to stake him and he rolled out of the way.

"For crying out loud!" Buffy said and jumped on the male vamp's back and staked his back and he dusted. "That is what you get for trying to get cute!"

She then stood and looked around and saw Ford coming back her way and she sighed in relief. He came over with a lopsided grin on his face breathing hard.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, Blondie is dust," he said and then Buffy hit him, hard. "What was that for?" he asked rubbing his jaw.

"For not listening to me, you could've been killed!" she yelled.

"Right, but I wasn't. Not my first rodeo, Summers," he said.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"I've been doing my bit back home since you left, Blondie was number five. Makes me an ace," he said.

"What?"

"You know, five kills and you are an ace," Ford said.

"You think this is a game?" Buffy asked, getting actually angry.

"Not at all, but you can't tell me you don't keep score," Ford said.

"Huh? No, I don't keep score, that's sick!" Buffy said.

"Must be a guy thing then. Thanks for tonight, Summers. I'll see you tomorrow when you aren't looking at me with homicidal eyes," Ford said and he walked off whistling just as Ian and Angel came out of the school.

"Grrraurgh!" Buffy screamed.

"What was that about?" Angel asked.

They were in the library as Buffy explained her concerns about the vampires on campus. Ian and Angel listened then they heard a noise from Giles's office. Buffy, Ian and Angel went to investigate only to be run over by the blonde vampire from earlier.

"Ford said he killed her!" Buffy said.

"Are you sure its the same vampire?" Ian asked.

"Positive," Buffy said her voice low.

"This changes things, doesn't it Tori?" Angel asked his former tutor.

"I'm afraid it does, Liam," Ian said and sat down and motioned Buffy to sit as well.

"What is going on?" she asked.

"You know how I spoke to every student in this school when I took over as Principal?" Ian asked.

"Yeah, kinda figured you just covering your interest in me," Buffy said.

"Beauty and brains, I sure can pick them, can't I Tori?" Angel said, showing a rare smile.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Mister," Buffy said and leaned across the table for a kiss.

"Ahem...as touching as this is, we are on the clock," Ian said.

"Sorry," Buffy and Angel said in unison.

"As I was saying I did meet with every student in this school. I thought it was a rather good policy to continue and when I learned that Mr. Fordham was going to be attending I went to look at the records that Hemery should've sent over. Much to my surprise I found he never enrolled," Ian said.

"Never enrolled? Why?" Buffy asked, her confusion apparent on her face.

"That is what I wondered so I called Principal Johnson and inquired and he informed me that Mr. Fordham dropped out a month ago," Ian said.

"Dropped out?"

"Yes, given his condition I have a hard time blaming the lad. He's got six months or less to live," Ian said, his voice soft.

"Six months or less to live?" Buffy said, shock and hurt on her face. "Wow...I'd have thought he'd tell me something like that. We were tight back in L.A."

"I had thought that he had innocent reasons for concealing his illness from you, Buffy. As well for coming here," Ian's voice was sympathetic.

"But his lying about staking that vampire makes you wonder," Buffy said, anger seeping into her words "Do you have an address where he can be found?"

"No, since he never enrolled I don't have that information," Ian said as Angel stood.

"Willow can get it for us," Angel said.

"Yup, lets go," Buffy said, already halfway to the door.

Buffy, Angel, and Ian arrived at Willow's in short order. Oz was there with his guitar and Willow was fully enraptured with what he was playing. Buffy knocked on the door and didn't get either of their attention, so she knocked louder. Willow then turned in surprise and smiled when she saw Buffy.

She came over, opened the door and said, "Buffy! I thought you were with Ford tonight," Willow said then seemed to just notice Ian and Angel.

"Work interrupt?" she asked.

""Fraid so, Will. Can we come in? We need help," Buffy said, and Willow backed off and held the door for them, Buffy and Ian entered, but not Angel.

"Hmmm...Willow, you need to invite me in," Angel said, self consciously.

"Oh,...hmmmm...ok...I invite you in," she said.

"I think a simple, 'Come in,' would've worked, Willow,"Oz said.

"You've been hanging with her since Halloween and you haven't realized that Will will use ten words where one will do?" Buffy asked amused.

"I did, it's cute," Oz said with a smile.

"So what's going on?" Willow asked.

Buffy filled her in on the story with the vampires and Ian's findings about Ford and asked her to find where he was staying. It took quite a bit of time for Willow to find an address.

"The only thing I can get is an address for something called the Sunset Club, here's the address," Willow said.

"Amazing what you can do now days," Ian said, obviously fascinated.

"You like technology?" Buffy asked, sounding incredulous.

"I'm not a luddite like Rupert is, Buffy," Ian said with a smile.

"Huh...I thought all old guys hated new fangled stuff," Buffy said.

"Keep in mind Buffy that 'old guys' and girls I might add, invented every bit of that 'new fangled stuff'," Ian said still smiling.

"Lesson learned, Chief," Buffy said nodding with a smile.

"We should be going to this club and getting answers," Angel said.

"Right, we can take my van," Oz said.

They arrived at the club and not ten seconds inside Oz said, "Huh...vampire groupies."

"How'd you pick up on that so fast?" Angel asked.

"I'm in a band, I know what groupies look like," Oz replied.

"I've seen twits like this before," Ian said sadly.

"I don't like it, they have no idea what they are playing with," Buffy said anger coloring her words.

"Remember Buffy, as much as we'd like to, we can't save everyone," Ian said quietly.

"Hello, are you here to celebrate the Lonely Ones with us?" a pretty blonde girl said coming up to them.

"No...and I'm sorry you are," Buffy said, her voice dripping with contempt.

"There are other viewpoints you know, you might show some respect," the pretty blonde said before stalking off.

"Buffy, a little more tact, please!. She's never met a real vampire and has no idea what one is really like," Ian said.

"Do you think if Angel..." she trailed off.

"With his unique condition I doubt it would help," Ian said.

"Tori's right , Buffy. These kids are deluded and seeing a vampire with a soul will just confuse them even more," Angel said.

"But can't you act like you don't have a soul?" Willow asked.

"Yes, but, as much as I hate to say it, the only thing that will convince them is for me to kill one of them and I can't do that," Angel said.

"Oh...yeah...that would be bad," Willow said.

"Buffy? Principal Stone? What are you guys doing here?" Ford asked having come in without them having heard.

"That's my question, Ford. Why did you lie to me?" Buffy asked.

"About what?" Ford asked.

"Slaying that vampire," Buffy said quietly the hurt in her voice apparent.

"Ok...so I'm outed. Not how I imagined it would be, Summers. Diego! Lock the door there's been a change of plans!"

"What is going on here, Ford?" Buffy demanded as Ian and Angel moved to block Diego from locking them in.

"I think you better rethink locking that door, laddie," Ian said to Diego.

"You're smart, Summers. Figure it out," Ford said.

"Ok, you're scared because of the cancer and decided your one way out was to become a vampire. In order to get one to do it for you you sold me out," Buffy said.

"Ah, so the good Principal told my little secret then," Ford said.

"Only after we discovered you lied," Buffy said.

"Ok, can you blame me? I don't want to die!" Ford said.

"For being scared, no. I wouldn't want to die either, but this isn't the way Ford and all of these people the WILL die. They'll just be food and vampires rarely keep their word," Buffy said then called out to Oz and Willow, "Get out of here."

"Sure send your friends out while you deal with the bad guy," Ford said.

"What are you talking about Ford?" Buffy asked.

"I sold you out Summers, betrayed my best friend to get what I wanted. That makes us enemies which means that one of us has to die and since I can't hope to beat you in a fight that means the good guys win again, but you don't want your friends see you do it," Ford said.

"That's not how this works, Ford. I wanted them out of here just in case your friends are bolder than I think they are. Angel and Mr. Stone can fight, but to win you just have to get the door shut. That is if they'll fight for you. They don't look like fighters to me," Buffy said.

"If I don't deliver he'll kill me," Ford said.

"Who'd you make the deal with?" Buffy asked.

"Spike, I'm sure you know who I'm talking about," Ford said.

"No, he's not going to kill you, you're going to Mayo's and he's staying here," Buffy said.

"Still trying to save me Summers?" Ford asked.

"What this isn't in your little deluded script?" Buffy asked.

"No not really, but its not like it'll make a difference, I'm still dying," Ford said.

"You've given up," Buffy said sadly.

"How can you say that when I've done all of this?" Ford asked.

"I've faced death, Ford, I know how scary it is I was tempted to run from it too, but I faced it and came out stronger on the other side," Buffy pleaded.

"This is different, Summers, you won, you're still here. I WON'T win this one," Ford said.

"Maybe not, but fighting is better than surrendering. At least you'll go out as a man instead of a scared little boy," Buffy said.

"You just don't-oaf!" Ford started but was interrupted by Buffy hitting him in the gut knocking the wind out of him. She scooped him up in a fireman's carry and carried him to the top of the stairs.

"Listen everyone, he's lied to you. You were going to be food, not blessed by the vampires. I'm sorry you have to learn the truth this way but this is the only option available to me. He knew the score and was willing to sell me out to the vampires, worse he was selling all of you out. Vampires are evil and all you are to them is food. They won't change you they'll just kill you. I can't make any choices for you, but I can give you the truth. What you do with it is on your heads," Buffy said and walked out with Ford, Ian and Angel following.

"...so he's on a plane to the Mayo clinic now and Principal Stone assured me that since most of the vamp groupies were minors he'll be able to keep them safe," Buffy said finishing the story of the previous night with Giles.

"I am so sorry Buffy," Giles said, squeezing her hand gently.

"I'll be fine, but nothing is ever simple anymore. I don't know who to trust and the more I learn the more blurred the lines get," Buffy said.

"I believe they call that growing up, Buffy," Giles said.

"It isn't going to get any easier, is it?" Buffy asked.

"I'm afraid not," Giles said simply.

"Ok, enough broody talk, how was the date with Miss Calendar?" Buffy asked, perking up.

"It was...interesting," Giles said.

"So where did she take you, a nice quiet restaurant with mood music?" Buffy asked.

"No...not exactly, it was rather noisier than that," Giles said.

"Oh...she didn't take you to the Bronze did she?"

"No, that would've just been tacky, she took me to a monster truck rally," Giles said and rolled his eyes as his Slayer fell off her chair in peals of laughter.

_Grr__...__Arrggghhhh__!_


	4. Demons of the Past

_He __was __born __over__ 1500 __years __ago __on __the __Emerald __Isle__. __Over __the __centuries__, __he __has __fought __many __battles__, __but __he __is __at __heart__, __a __teacher__, __a __scholar__, __a __lover__, __a __father__. _

_For __two __centuries__, __he __has __dedicated __himself __to __learning __to __battle __demons__, __vampires __and __the __forces __of __darkness__. __He __came __to __the __New __World __because __it __is __a __time __of __prophecy__. __His __time __is __now__._

Ian sighed, he'd known her only a month but couldn't get her out of his mind. It had been a long time since he'd felt this way, but he was familiar with the symptoms. He was falling in love. And of course it would be with the ONE person who attempting to have a relationship with would complicate his mission so completely, well there was ONE other person that would complicate it even more but thank god he hadn't fallen for her.

He drummed his pen against his desk. The age difference had long since ceased mattering to him, which-considering he was old enough to be her...fifty-seventh great grandfather assuming an average of twenty-five years between generations-really would be an issue. He pursed his lips and drummed his pen again. This was a conversation he wasn't looking forward to, but he had to have it.

He pulled Buffy's schedule up and saw she had a free period in fifteen minutes, so he had Rupert paged and waited.

Buffy walked out of her history class with Willow and Xander and started heading toward the library when she saw Giles heading her way and groaned.

"It's just your friendly neighborhood watcher, Buffy," Xander said in response to her reaction.

"He's got something face," Buffy complained.

"He does? I just thought he was having an irregular day. I hear that happens when you get old. Whatever irregular means anyway," Xander said eliciting the desired chuckles from Buffy and Willow.

"Ah Buffy, Principal Stone would like to speak to you, he said it shouldn't take very long," Giles said as he came upon the teenagers.

"See?" Buffy said shaking her head, "Did our impossibly young looking Principal indicate why he needed to talk to me?"

"No, he said it was a personal matter that he wanted to discuss with you," Giles said.

"Personal matter? I wonder if this is about Angel," Buffy said wincing.

"He doesn't approve of you dating Angel?" Willow asked.

"Buffy is NOT dating Deadboy!" Xander declared then leaned in as the the two girls glared at him and he winced. Willow had finally forgiven him for his faux pas Halloween and now he'd stepped in it again. "I am right about that, right?"

"No comment," Buffy said.

"It's official. I do not understand women!" Xander said, shaking his head.

"Get used to it, Xander as you get older the mystery only deepens,"Giles said sympathetically.

Buffy entered Ian's office, which was still a place she loathed to be, even if her last two visits hadn't been horrible. Ian was hunched over some paperwork and she knocked on the open door.

"Ah, Buffy, thank you for coming to see me so quickly, please shut the door," Ian said.

"Giles said you wanted to discuss something personal with me," Buffy said.

"Yes, sit down please," Ian said and sighed.

"If this is about Angel, I thought you said I'd be free to make my own mistakes with him," Buffy said, bringing up her fears.

"No, this isn't about Liam, this is about your mother," Ian said.

"Has something happened to her?" Buffy asked suddenly concerned.

"Ohh...no, nothing like that, I'm sure she's just fine," Ian said and saw Buffy visibly relax.

"You scared me," Buffy said.

"Sorry about that. You love her a great deal, don't you?" Ian asked.

"Of course, she's my mother," Buffy said.

"Of course. Well I guess there isn't a good way to say this except to say it. I wish to court your mother Buffy, and while I don't really need your permission to do so, I thought that given the situation that telling you of my intentions would be polite," Ian said.

"You want to date my mother and you are telling me about it beforehand?" Buffy asked and shuddered.

Ian chuckled at her reaction, "I understand the thought of your mother having another man in her life would be distressing to you."

"I don't know that is the right word, I know she's lonely and knowing about me..."

"Isolates her further because there is so much she cannot talk about."

"Yes. Have you asked her out yet?" Buffy asked.

"No, not yet. I wanted to tell you of my intentions first," Ian said.

"Is this some weird thing you picked up from a thousand years ago?" she asked.

"As in some archaic custom? No, Joyce is the first woman I've been attracted to that had a child, especially one almost grown. I just thought that it would be better for you to find out this way than walking in on me kissing her in your kitchen, or worse," Ian said and chuckled at another shudder from the young Slayer.

"You sound awful sure of yourself, Mr. Stone," Buffy said in a teasing tone.

"I tend to be optimistic," he said.

"Does she know?" Buffy asked.

"Yes she does, she figured it out when I went to talk to her about Liam," Ian said.

"Ok. I can't say I'm not a little wigged by this, but I'm not going to stand in Mom's way if she wants to date you," Buffy said and Ian nodded.

Ian left school early and went over to Joyce's art gallery. He had been meaning to stop by at some point anyway to look, but now he was a man on a mission. He entered the building and was impressed with her collection. It wasn't up to the Louvre or the Metropolitan Museum of Arts standards, but for a town the size of Sunnydale, it was impressive. Joyce was busy talking with a woman in her forties so Ian browsed. Most of the pieces were far too unusual for his taste. He stroked his beard as he looked around. Then something caught his eye, he went over to one of the few non sculptures hung on the wall, it was an old charcoal drawing. He stared at it and a smile creeped on his face.

"Ian?" he heard Joyce ask.

"Ah, Joyce," Ian said.

"Find something you like?" she asked.

"Just a memory," he said, pointing to the charcoal drawing.

"That's you?" she asked.

"Yup, never dreamed the kid who drew it would be as famous as he became though," Ian said.

"Who drew it? Its not signed," Joyce said.

"He never signed his charcoal caricatures. Shame he didn't, because that would make this worth more than the entire block your shop is on," Ian said sounding like a professor.

"Are you going to tell me who drew it or do I have to get Buffy to beat it out of you?" Joyce asked teasing.

"Forgive me, Claude Monet drew it. Of course at the time he was just a pimply faced teenager trying to work his way through art school," Ian said with a smile.

Joyce coughed, and looked stunned, "Monet drew that?"

"Yes, as I said it is a shame he never signed them, proving it would be impossible of course," Ian said.

"How did it end up in my art gallery?" Joyce wondered.

"As to what happened to it after it left my possession I can't say," Ian said.

"I bet you have some interesting tales to tell," Joyce said shaking her head in wonder.

"Most are rather boring, a fact that I'm rather grateful for," Ian said.

"Sure, and pigs will be flying tomorrow," Joyce said with a laugh.

"They are and I can prove it," Ian said smiling.

"Oh really, how?" Joyce asked.

"Dinner, tonight," He said.

"Ian, are you asking me out?" Joyce asked.

"Yes," he said with a small smile.

"Have I mentioned how weird my life has gotten in the last month?" Joyce asked.

"Once or twice, but I'd love to hear more about it," he said.

"Ok, we'll see who bores the other one first. It's a date," Joyce said.

"Looking forward to it," Ian said.

Buffy walked into the library with a large radio and set it down and then got out her step and set up for her cardio routine, not that she really needed it but after the news she got today it would be welcome to partake in some mindless physical activity. She turned on the boombox and loud techno music started blaring out and she started her routine.

Giles came out of his office wincing at the noise and saw Buffy working out He rolled his eyes and quickly decided that he wasn't going to get any work done until Buffy finished her calisthenics. He sighed and sat at the table in the library and hoped his brain wouldn't just dribble out of his ears. He watched Buffy do her work out and noticed that she wasn't looking very happy.

Buffy went about her routine and it seemed to Giles that it was a bit more aggressive looking than her normal calisthenics. He watched her and saw she was adding in fighting moves to her routine. He starting frowning as he watched her, then came to a decision. He got up and turned off her...music.

"Hey! I wasn't finished yet!" she protested.

"Is there something you want to talk about, Buffy?" Giles asked.

"No, why?" she said.

"I just haven't seen you do such...violent calthenstics since before you 'crushed the bones of our enemy into talcum powder', I believe is how Xander so quaintly put it," Giles said, leaning against the counter.

Buffy sighed, and moved toward the boombox, only Giles moved to block her. "It's nothing, really," she said.

"No Buffy, it isn't nothing and part of what Ian is trying to do is get you treated as a person and your emotional well being is part of that. Now something is bothering you, and I think it's serious based on my observations," Giles said.

"You'll think it's silly," she said, and then added, "Hell, I think it's silly and I don't understand why it's bothering me!"

"So something is bothering you," Giles said evenly.

"Oops...you know you should've been the school counselor instead of librarian," Buffy said wincing.

"Thank you, but flattery won't get you out of this, and that position was not available when I needed to be transferred here, " he said leaning against the counter.

"Ok..ok, fine. Ian is planning on asking my mom out...on a date," she said.

"Ah...and you don't want him dating your mother?" Giles asked.

"No...yes...I don't know!" Buffy said.

"Your parents divorced a year ago, correct?"

"Not quite. They'd been separated for longer, it took awhile for the divorce to be finalized," she said quietly, sitting on the counter swinging her legs..

"How long were they separated?" Giles asked.

"About a year before the divorce was finalized," Buffy said.

"I see," Giles.

"It's silly and selfish of me, but..." she said finishing in a sigh.

"But you wish your parents would get back together," Giles finished for her.

"Silly, huh?" Buffy said.

"No, it's not silly at all, Buffy. It's a perfectly natural desire. As much as society tries to tell us that the old fashioned notion of family is something we've outgrown, I think they are wrong. We all feel that need," GIles said.

"Yeah, but part of feels like I'm betraying Mom for wanting to have time with him. He did cheat on her. It's so confusing."

"She doesn't feel that way and its perfectly normal for you to want to spend time with your father. Just like it is perfectly natural for your mother to seek companionship. She can do far worse than Ian after all," Giles said

"Like?" Buffy said.

"Buffy, we live on a hellmouth, she could start dating Spike or some crazed robot or who knows what," Giles said and let a small smile onto his face when Buffy scrunched up her face at the mention of Spike dating her mother.

"You have a nasty mind, Spike and my MOTHER?" Buffy said clearly horrified at the thought, then she laughed.

"Just saying that it could be worse," Giles said glad that he had made her laugh.

"I get that, but SPIKE?" she said.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Yes...you just gave me an excellent excuse to stake him on general principles," Buffy said, her voice lighter.

"You're welcome," he said and winced when she turned the boombox back on and went back to her workout.

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner, Ian," Joyce said as they were seated in one of the nicer restaurants in Sunnydale.

"Thank you for coming," Ian said as the waiter came by with the wine list. Ian looked it over and asked Joyce if she had a preference and she deferred to his greater experience and he selected a vintage he'd had experience with. The waiter nodded and said he'd made an excellent choice and departed.

"So, you are a man of mystery, Ian Stone. You've had a charcoal drawing of you done by Monet, you are rich, but live modestly, and have taken an interest in my daughter's well being," Joyce said.

"You have questions, which is what this night is for, to get to know each other better," Ian said.

"And this isn't a professional dinner, is it?" Joyce asked.

"I never implied that it was," Ian said. Then the waiter arrived with the wine and poured their glasses and withdrew again.

"So what shall we drink to?" Joyce asked.

"To you, my dear. A beautiful, courageous woman who has met a challenge that many fail at," Ian said raising his glass to hers clinking and they sipped the wine which was as good as Ian remembered it being.

"Being the mother of the Slayer," Joyce said with a smile.

"There is that, but I was thinking about raising a teenage daughter actually," Ian said with a smile.

"So some date talk, talking about Buffy," Joyce said with a smile.

"No such thing as date talk, Joyce. I have seen the Mary Tyler Moore show after all," Ian said.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Joyce asked.

"What you said brought to mind an episode where Mary and Mr. Grant had a date and tried not to talk about work. I thought it was rather silly as she was sharing a funny story about a coworker and friend and the fact they had nothing else to talk about convinced them that they shouldn't date," Ian said.

"I assume you disagree."

"Vehemently and wholeheartedly. They were cutting out so much of what they had in common that of course they had nothing to talk about afterwards," Ian replied.

"And if things had progressed and they got married what would they be talking about anyway?" Joyce asked.

"Beauty and brains. I knew Buffy got them both from you. Anyway I'm sure you have questions for me, I can't say that I can answer them all, just because that would take a very long time," Ian said. Then the waiter came and took their orders and moved off again.

"What is it like, being so long lived?" Joyce asked.

"That isn't an easy question to answer, let me ask you this, if Buffy asked you how it felt to be forty, how would you answer?"

"I see your point. So let me ask this, how many times have you died?"

"Six, and I don't recommend the experience," Ian said quietly.

"Only six times in nearly fifteen hundred years?" Joyce responded a bit surprised.

"Violent death is something that is exceedingly rare, Joyce. I know to watch the news it seems far more common place and to read history...well, death like that while it does happen is far less common than most modern people think it is," Ian said.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Joyce asked.

"I've made my peace with it indeed up until I met Liam I was averaging three hundred years between," Ian said.

"How does he figure in your death count?" she asked and her face scrunched up and she added, "Did I really just say that?"

Ian chuckled and replied, "Yes you did. Simply put he was responsible for my last two deaths, my most recent on was All Hallows Eve," Ian said.

"Really?" Joyce asked.

"Buffy hasn't mentioned it?" Ian asked.

"No, she didn't," Joyce said. "What happened?"

Ian briefly explained the events of Halloween and Joyce's eyes got bigger with every word.

"Ok...so Liam staked you in the living room?" Joyce asked.

"Yes, the lad did think I was a vampire, and unfortunately for good reason." Ian said and they paused when the food came out.

"Oookkkaaayyy," Joyce said and they ate in silence for a bit.

Ian looked at her and suppressed a sigh, this evening was NOT going to plan, at all. He ate and tried to think of a way to salvage it when he felt it. He winced.

"I'm sorry, this was supposed to be a romantic evening, wasn't it," Joyce said seeing the wince.

"Our conversation isn't what I'm wincing about, we are about to have an uninvited guest," Ian said.

"How do you-" Joyce started to ask when a beautiful dark haired woman approached their table.

"Ríoghbhardán, what are you doing here with...this?" the woman asked when she arrived at the table.

"Katarina, I have nothing to say to you off of Holy Ground. I would remind you of my promise if I ever saw you again," Ian said stiffly, his voice hard. This evening just got much worse and far more dangerous.

"Ian, who is this?" Joyce asked, obviously picking up on his discomfort.

"Quiet, pet, we're talking," Katrina said condescendingly.

"I see you still haven't regained your tact, or your sense of appropriateness," Ian said.

"What is this my love, why are you engaged with this in what appears to be a romantic dinner?" she asked.

"Excuse me, but I think Ian did ask you to leave," Joyce said sounding annoyed.

"Ian...your pet is speaking to me, make it stop," Katrina said.

"Katrina, our business isn't for mortal eyes, now leave I will meet you on Holy Ground and we'll discuss this and if you don't want to lose your head you'll leave this town," Ian said, his voice low and the waiter chose that moment to intervene.

"Is this lady bothering you folks?" he asked.

"Actually yes she is," Ian said.

"Understood, if you'll come with me ma'am, we can't have you bothering our guests," the waiter said.

"Very well...Ian...First Church of Christ, on Wilkerson Avenue, we'll talk, on Holy Ground as you wish," she said and allowed herself to be escorted out.

"I am truly sorry you had to see that," Ian said.

"Old girlfriend?" Joyce asked.

"And mentor, before she went insane," Ian said sadly.

"So why did you want to meet her on Holy Ground?" Joyce asked.

Ian sighed and said, "I had really hoped this wouldn't come up for another hundred years at least, but it has, and you need to know what is happening. As you now know, there are others of my kind. We aren't large in number, and we can sense when another one of us is near."

"Which is how you knew she was coming," Joyce said.

"Yes, as I said I had hoped not to have this part of my Immortally not rear its ugly head for another century or more but I chose to live on a Hellmouth," Ian said.

"What is going on, Ian?"Joyce asked, sounding worried.

"We call it the Game, such an innocuous term for the most barbaric thing I've ever lived through. The rules are pretty simple, first there can be only one," Ian said his voice flat.

"Only one what?"

"Immortal, whoever of us is the last one standing at the end of the Gathering will have the Prize," Ian said.

"But you can't be killed," Joyce said, confused.

"There is one way to end my life. If I lose my head, I die, forever. I can only assume anything else that would sufficiently destroy my body would have similar results, not that I'm aware of anything like that actually happening," Ian said sadly.

"That's horrible, have you had too..." she paused and drew her finger across her throat.

"Yes, only in self defense or the defense of others, but I have taken heads. Which is more significant than it sounds. When an Immortal dies, the Immortal who killed them gets their power and knowledge for their own. We call it the Quickening. There are few rules in the Game, such as no one can interfere during a challenge, we don't fight on Holy Ground and all fights are one of us versus another, no working together. As I said, I had hoped this wouldn't ever come up, and it worse that it is her," Ian said sadly.

"Why?" Joyce asked.

"Katrina is insane and hopelessly in love with me. She views mortals as you'd look on a dog or cat at best," Ian said looking worried.

"Is she a danger?" Joyce asked.

"Yes, she is. She has no compunctions about killing mortals, especially those mortals she feels are in her way," Ian said.

"And we can't involve the police, I assume?" Joyce asked.

"We could, but the police in this town are an insult to the profession and in the long run it wouldn't do any good anyway as she hasn't done anything except show very poor manners as of yet," Ian said.

"I thought you'd say that," Joyce said sadly. "Will she go after Buffy?"

"Possibly, but that might actually be fun to watch. Kat doesn't know anything about the Slayer, and she likes to do her killing up close and personal," Ian said

"You expect Buffy would be able to kick her ass?" Joyce asked.

"In their first encounter, indubitably. It would be the second encounter that I would have my doubts. She likes her killing personal, but she's not above using a rifle and once she put Buffy in the threat category..." Ian trailed off.

"And Buffy can't kill her because she's not a vampire," Joyce said.

"Well, there'd be nothing stopping her from the physical act, but no, Buffy will not be able to bring herself to end Katrina's life and I sincerely hope she never is forced to take a human life. It's not something...well I think you can imagine," Ian said.

"Would you have told me if it wasn't so in my face?" Joyce asked after a pause.

"If we got involved, I'd never keep something like that from you; if not, well, in that case it wouldn't have been your business unless it would've affected Buffy in some way. That being said I wouldn't have volunteered the information unless I had sensed an Immortal in Sunnydale. It's like talking about the possibilities of a tornado hitting your house, no sense bringing it up unless its an immediate threat," Ian said sadly and sighed. "I'll take you home, this night has not gone like I hoped it would."

They drove in silence for awhile and Ian was not happy. The more he saw of Joyce the more he wanted to be in her life, as more than her daughter's employer. She was smart, beautiful and probably the most courageous person he'd ever met the way she was taking this all in stride. It had been less than a month since she had been told the truth, however she had to have had suspicions before.

"Ian," Joyce said, breaking the silence.

"Yes?" Ian asked the uncomfortable feeling in his car not dismissed by the break in the silence.

"Will my little girl grow up?" she asked.

"She's very mature for her age Joyce. She's dealing with things that would make most adults I know shit themselves and run screaming only to die tired," Ian said.

"I know that, what I mean is will I get to see her get married, am I going to get to be a grandmother, is she going to be happy," Joyce said, her voice sad, and Ian pulled over.

"I wish with all of my heart I could promise that, Joyce, but I just can't. Being the Slayer is very dangerous and the odds she'll live to be eighteen is low, and it breaks my heart to know it," Ian said, sadness filling his voice. For all he was able to do this was the one thing he couldn't just change.

Joyce started crying at his words and the worry that she'd held in for longer than that first meeting with Ian came out. "She's my little girl, Ian. I can't accept that her eighteenth birthday might come and she not be here to celebrate it!"

Ian hugged her and held her while she cried as his own eyes began to tear up. It was frustrating. For all he could do for Buffy the one thing he couldn't do was keep her alive. He could help her fight, yes, but he couldn't keep her alive.

It took awhile for her to stop crying and she straightened up and looked at Ian, "You really care, don't you?"

"Yes I do. I've read the journals of the previous slayers' watchers, and all of the girls that have been Called have been very special young women, and Buffy is no different. All have been dedicated, intelligent, strong...full of life right up to the day they run into something that has a better day than they are having. That is bad enough and there isn't much I can do about it because she has to be perfect every night and they just have to get lucky once. Of course to make matters worse is the Watchers Council and their attitudes toward the Slayer," Ian said in a low voice.

"I'm not going to like this am I?" Joyce asked.

"No, you'll hate it. I hate it and Buffy isn't my child. 'The Slayer is a weapon, and weapons get broken, and a new one is forged, the war goes on.'"

"Who said such a heartless thing?" Joyce asked.

"The current head of the Watchers Council, Quentin Travers, and it is an attitude that his Inner Circle has. It's an attitude I find reprehensible as well as infuriating. There is a test the Council gives to Slayers who reach their eighteenth birthday, its called the Tento di Cruciamentum. The Slayer is stripped of her powers and placed in a maze with a vampire. It's either a pass fail test. If the Slayer lives she passes, if she dies...next Slayer," Ian said, his voice a low growl.

"That's awful," Joyce said.

"Yes, and I'm convinced they do it so they won't have to put up with an adult slayer who's fully realized her power. The simple fact, one the Council realizes quite well, is that they don't have a purpose without the Slayer. She has the power, they don't. She's on the front lines they aren't, she's the one who dies, they get to pat themselves on the back about a well run campaign in the fight against the darkness. No more. I spent decades trying to change things from the inside but it didn't work. I mourn for the girls that came before Buffy. The ones I couldn't help, but it takes time to build up the necessary resources to fight the Council. I started right after Nikki was killed and there were five slayers between her and Buffy, but I wasn't ready...God help me, I wasn't ready," Ian said, and started to openly sob. Joyce hugged him as he mourned girls he'd never met.

"You've never told anyone this, have you?" Joyce asked after Ian stopped crying.

"No, and I'm not even sure we'll be ready when the final showdown with the Council happens when Buffy turns eighteen," Ian said.

"What about the families of the other slayers?" Joyce asked.

"Most of them didn't have families. Most of the potentials are identified early, the Council is watching about twenty five hundred right now and one of them will be called when Buffy dies, most likely. Though God might have a surprise in store for them. He sure did when your daughter was Called," Ian said he then looked at the clock. "I better get you on home, it's getting late."

Buffy was walking home after an uneventful night of patrolling and a more eventful night of Angel smoochies. She smiled at the memories and felt more at ease than she had in a long time. She was still not sure how she felt about Ian trying for smoochies...ewwwww...better to cut that thought off at the pass. She turned down on Rovello drive and made her way to her house. She saw Ian's car pull up and both him and her mother get out.

She picked up the pace a little as Ian walked her to the door and then was surprised when her mother kissed Ian, on the lips then hugged him. She arrived at the bottom of the steps during the hug and said, "Ahem!"

"Oh! Buffy!" her mother said.

"I take it from the smoochie action the date went well?" Buffy asked.

Ian turned and looked embarrassed, "Actually, it was a complete disaster, not your mother's fault, but still a disaster, and not an evening I would want to repeat."

"Ok...so the date was a disaster, what's with the smoochies?" Buffy asked confused.

"An old girlfriend of Ian's showed up," her mother said.

"Ohhhhh...yeah...that would put a crimp in having a good time. I'm sorry," she said.

"Your sympathy is appreciated, Buffy. Now I have to go. She's expecting me at the church and the later I am the more cranky she'll be. In spite of everything, Joyce, thank you for tonight. We need to try this again," he said.

"Whoa...Buffy is confused and confused Buffy is not a happy Buffy," Buffy said.

"Rupert is right, it IS disturbing when you start talking about yourself in the third person," Ian said.

"No changing the subject, did I just hear that you are going to meet this ex of yours at a church and then ask my mom out on a second date in the same sentence?"

"It was actually three, but essentially yes. I have to deal with her," Ian said.

"What is going on, you both have serious face," Buffy said looking back and forth at each of the adults.

"I'd explain if I had time, but I don't. Your mother can explain," Ian said, his voice tight.

"You don't mind if I tell her?" her mother asked.

"If you don't she'll just follow and find out anyway. She loves you too much to let a mystery like this lie fallow," Ian said and went around to the driver's side of his car then said before he got in, "I'll call you about a second date soon, but it'll have to be scheduled after I deal with Katrina."

"Be careful, Ian," her mother said sounding worried which scared Buffy.

"It won't be tonight, luv. Tonight we'll just talk, Holy Ground, you know," Ian said and got into his car as Joyce nodded leaving Buffy in the unfamiliar position of something weird going on and not being in on it. How did her mother stand it before Ian spilled the beans?

"Come on, let's go in. I'll make us some cocoa and you can tell me about your night and I'll tell you about mine," her mother said.

"Ok, just so long as you know that cocoa doesn't get you out of making with the explainy," Buffy said.

"Buffy, you really should listen to Mr. Giles about your language, if you want to get into a good college," her mother said tiredly as they went in.

Joyce was still trying to process everything Ian had told her tonight as she made Buffy and her cocoa. Buffy was telling a funny story about Xander while she worked over the stove. The cocoa was finished really before Joyce was ready for Buffy's coming questions. She poured the hot drink into two mugs and set one before Buffy and placed the other before herself.

"Ok, so what was that about?" Buffy asked, her tone different than it had been when talking about Xander. It was the Slayer asking, not her daughter. She had started picking up on the difference even before she'd been told about the Slayer.

Joyce sighed and said, " Ok, let me tell you what happened and what he told me, and no questions until I finish please."

"Fair enough," Buffy said and listened while Joyce explained what was going on with Ian. It took a few minutes to go through everything.

"Ok, so these guys run around cutting off each others heads for a prize that no one knows what it is?" Buffy asked.

"Ian doesn't hunt, but he does defend himself," her mother said.

"Ok, and where is he meeting this woman?" Buffy asked reaching for her coat.

"Buffy, he said to let him handle this, besides what are you going to do, cut her head off?" her mother asked.

"Its my job to deal with the weird, Mom. No matter the personal costs," she said, but her voice was small.

"And you really think that after you beat her senseless you could do it?" her mother asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," Buffy said her voice soft.

"I had hoped you'd have said no," Joyce said.

"I was kinda hoping for that too, but I can't say it unequivalently. If this person was threatening you, Willow or Xander, or GIles...you are all my family and I couldn't bear to lose any of you, and there's a part of me that wants to say yes I'd do it in a heartbeat to protect you. The scary thing is both answers scare me to death," Buffy said tears coming to her eyes. She felt her mother hug her.

She didn't know how long she cried, but she stopped and her mother squeezed and stroked her hair. "Such a burden for you to bear, sweetie. Ian really cares, just so you know," her mother said.

"How do you know?" Buffy asked, her voice still loaded with just shed tears.

"We talked about it on the way home. He mourns the girls that came before you," Joyce said.

"He does?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, I'll tell you about it tomorrow, right now we both need sleep," her mother said.

Ian arrived at the church just before midnight and got out of his car and went up the steps and felt her. He was still stunned at how much the feel of her Quickening had changed. It used to be so sweet and a pleasure to be around. Now, while still being recognizable as her, it was sour and harsh.

'_Why__didn__'__t__I__feel__the__changes__when__I__might__have__done__something__about__it__?'_ Ian lamented not for the first time and he knew it wouldn't be the last.

He continued up the steps and went to the doors. The church was old, easily as old as the town. He opened the doors and saw her seated in the front pew.

"I was wondering if you were going to stand me up, Ríoghbhardán," she said.

"I always keep my word, unlike some people I know," he said.

"Yes, you always were so concerned with honor. It's an outdated concept, silly boy," she cooed.

"You didn't always think so, but then you also used to think that all life was scared," Ian said sitting next to her.

"You know you don't need holy ground to be safe from me, Ríoghbhardán," she said turning to him.

"Not personally, but those I care about, they could use the same kind of refuge it provides our kind," Ian said.

"It really is sweet the way you care about your pets, but really, it is past time you grew up and had a grown up relationship," she said bitterly.

"And become a cold calculating bastard? No, thanks. I still don't understand how you could've changed like this. You were the one who TAUGHT me respect for all life!"

Ríoghbhardán found himself on the coast ten years after the battle of Cul Drahma. He'd never been so far from home before and home was a place denied him. There were times he'd been tempted to attempt to just end this mockery that his life had become but he really didn't want to damn his soul to hell either. After ten years he still had no idea why he was still alive or what it meant. The one time he'd turned to a priest about it the holy man had accused him of both blasphemy, witchcraft and being Satan himself.

That was not a good memory, but if he was truly spawn of Satan why didn't Holy objects hurt him? Surely the power of the Savior and his Father was far greater than some misbegotten hellspawn, yet when he was in a church he felt more at ease than any other time. Yet it was strange that he would feel that kind of peace only after his supposed death on the battlefield. Especially if he was actually demon in fact. He chuckled to himself, the sound was devoid of humor but it was either laugh or cry. He wondered why everyone assumed he was demon spawned, could it not be the other way? Yet the thought felt wrong and false. Christ was the only true son of God and the Angels were forbidden from taking mortal wives. His situation was perplexing. There had to be some purpose for this to have happened to him, why would God keep him alive if not for a purpose?

He sat with his thoughts watching the sea when it happened, all at once he felt ill at ease as if some predator was watching him and thinking he'd make a good meal. He stood instinctively and drew his blade, that made him feel a little better but not much. His muscles tensed and he realized that it was like the thrill of battle about to be joined, but he was alone wasn't he?

He went up to a small hill near him to get a better look around and then saw a woman. She was striking, and seemed to know what she was about. She strode with purpose and Ríoghbhardán's mouth went dry. He didn't know why, but he KNEW she was dangerous. He shook his head and decided to meet her, it was obvious she was headed his way anyway.

"I am Ríoghbhardán O'Braonáin of Cill Eanaigh," he called out, reaching for his sword instinctively.

"I am Yekaterina Pyotrovna of the Rus. Do you know what you are?" she asked.

"What do you mean, woman?" he asked.

"You died recently, within the last fifty years I'd say. Only you didn't stay dead. Now you feel uneasy around me. There is a reason for that. I can teach you about yourself, who and what you are," she said.

"Why should I trust you?" he asked.

"Skeptical, good. It will keep your head attached to your shoulders longer. You have no reason to trust yet. That takes time. Come closer, let's have a better look at you and stop this shouting," she said.

"Very well," Ríoghbhardán said and started down the hill.

"That's better, now you have questions, I'm sure," she said.

"What am I?" he asked.

"You are Immortal. You cannot die through any means save one, if your head ever leaves your shoulders your life is over, and the Immortal who took it gets your power," she said.

"Why?" he asked confused.

"Why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Why is water wet? Some things just are."

"I need to understand, please help me," he begged.

"Very well, we will search for the answers to your questions together."

Early the next morning Ian was in his office, the sun had barely risen and he found that his mind was too scattered to think about work. She had refused to leave town or to leave Joyce alone. She had even threatened Buffy which was just unacceptable. He sighed and went to the library to see if Rupert was in.

There was no one in the library and Ian sighed. He took off his shirt and began a kata routine giving his mind over to the physical activity. It was soothing. He started going through the routine faster and was completely distracted when he felt a presence next to him. He glanced over and found that Buffy had joined him and was mimicking his moves as perfectly as a shorter, blonde, female reflection of himself. He picked up the pace a little interested in just how good she was.

The Slayer didn't disappoint as she matched his every move and he smiled, it had been a long time since he'd had a decent sparring partner. He stopped, turned to her and bowed, a move she copied, neither said a word but went into their preferred opening stances. They moved at the same time, punching and countering so fast their hands were a blur. Ian was impressed. She blocked everything he had and even more impressive forced him to block several of her strikes. Their whole bodies were in the match and by unvoiced agreement neither moved from their starting positions on the floor. The match lasted about ten minutes then they stopped and bowed to each other again to find stunned scoobies in the library along with a grinning Watcher.

"Wow...glad corporal punishment is illegal now days," Xander said.

"Uh uh, muscles...big muscles..." Willow said.

"Its been a long time since I've see you spar, Ian. Does she pass inspection?" Giles asked.

"With flying colors. I have one or two things I could show you Buffy, but very impressive," Ian said.

"So I get a cookie?" Buffy asked.

"If someone brought some," Ian said chuckling. The laughter was much needed as was the workout. Katrina being in town was more stressful than he would ever verbally admit.

"I don't see any cookies," she said looking at her two best friends.

"Sorry, didn't know you'd need sugary goodness this morning, Buff," Xander said.

"Its ok, Xan," Buffy said then turned to Ian and her face grew serious. "So what happened at the church last night?"

"We talked. Its going to be in two nights," Ian said.

"Where? I need to be there," Buffy asked.

"Absolutely not, you CANNOT interfere in this!"

"Damnit Ian, she's my mother! I can't stand by and let you deal with this alone!" Buffy said.

"Buffy!" Giles said at the use of Ian's first name.

"I can't call him Mr. Stone all the time if he's planning on dating my mother," Buffy said.

"She does have a point, Rupert," Ian said. "And you still aren't coming."

"Yes I am," Buffy said.

"Whoa whoa! Time out!" Xander said.

"Yeah...some info might make watching this a little less confusing," Willow said.

"I hate to say it, but I have to agree with them. What is going on?" Giles asked.

"It's a long story, Rupert," Ian said, sighing.

"Ian's ex broke up my mother's date with him last night, now he has to kill her before she kills my mother," Buffy said.

"Or maybe not that long at all, does she do that all the time?" Ian asked.

"Yes, it's because she's American I think," Giles said, sounding long suffering.

"You and Mrs. Summers? Way to go Mr. Sto-" Xander started to falter on the weight of Buffy's glare.

"Is she that jealous?" Willow asked.

"According to Mom, yes and she's had a LONG time to nurse this grudge," Buffy said.

"She's like you, Ian?" Giles asked.

"Yes, she was my mentor, then my lover and now the bane of my existence," Ian replied, deflating.

"How old is she?" Buffy asked.

"Twenty five hundred years old, give or take a decade," Ian said.

"Is she stronger than you?" Buffy asked.

"I beat her last time we fought, but didn't have the heart to actually kill her," Ian said.

"You can be killed?" Giles, Xander, and Willow shouted at the sametime.

"Most things can," Ian said wanly.

"So do you think you can still beat her?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, and this time, with your mother's life on the line, I have no choice but to finish it," Ian said.

"And if you fail? Will she still come after her?" Buffy asked.

Ian sighed and rubbed his eyes, "Most likely. She'll blame Joyce for my death and want 'justice'."

"Then I have to be there if you fail," Buffy said.

"No, if I fail you are to take your mother and run as far and as fast as you can," Ian said.

"What about Giles, and Willow and Xander? She's going to know they are important to me and I'm important to my mother, will she threaten them?" Buffy asked.

"You are really going to be a legendary Slayer," Ian said with admiration.

"Flattery will not get you out of this," Buffy said putting her hands on her hips.

"She's not the best strategist anymore," Ian said.

"Did that sound like an answer to you, Wills?" Xander asked getting serious as the conversation turned into what sounded like a threat on his person.

"Not really," Willow said.

"Ian, you might as well surrender, she isn't going to give up on this and just wind up following you wherever you are meeting her anyway," Giles said.

"Et tu, Rupert?" Ian asked.

"She's right, Ian," Rupert said.

"You don't understand, its MY fight, none can interfere," Ian said.

"Mom said that last night, why?" Buffy asked.

"It's the Rules," Ian said.

"Rules?" Willow asked.

"Yes, we call it the Game. Basically it boils down to three rules. First there can be only one, second we do not fight on Holy Ground, lastly, no INTERFERENCE," Ian said, stressing the last word.

"Only one what?" Xander asked.

"Immortal, for thousands of years people like Ian have been running around cutting off each others heads in a quest of some kind of Prize. The last Immortal standing gets it," Buffy said, her voice harsh.

"So...how do you kill an Immortal again?" Xander asked.

"You take his or her head and with it their power," Ian said.

"Which means if she wins she'll be even more dangerous, right?" Buffy said.

"She'll have my knowledge and experience," Ian said.

"So where?" Buffy asked insistantly.

"Fine, but some ground rules. First bring Liam," Ian said, hanging his head in defeat.

"Done," she said.

"Second, don't interfere until it's over," Ian said.

"No way, I'm not going to let her kill you," Buffy said.

"Yes, if she is going to kill me you HAVE to let her," Ian said.

"Why because of some stupid rule in your stupid beheading game!" Buffy shouted.

"Oh that's what he meant by take the head," Xander said.

"No, because that will be your best chance to finish her!"

"Why?"

"She'll be overcome by the Quickening," Ian said.

"The Quickening?" Buffy asked.

"You'll know it when you see it, but there is a brief, and I stress brief time that we are vulnerable after taking a head," Ian said.

"Which is why for the no interference rule, right?" Willow asked.

"Yes it is, bright girl," Ian said.

"I don't get it," Xander said.

"It keeps it from becoming all out war, then civil war among the Immortals," GIles said.

"Oh...so a gang of Immortals don't get together to take down all of the other Immortals," Xander said.

"Alliances do happen, but fights are always one on one," Ian said.

"But wouldn't Buffy killing her be a violation of those rules?" Willow asked.

"No, she's mortal for one thing. Second she wouldn't be doing it for me but for her mother," Ian said.

"So why fight so hard to keep me out?" Buffy asked.

"Because, my dear I don't want you to bear the burden of taking a human life. She's not a vampire and you have to take her head with all the mess that implies," Ian said.

"Mess?" Xander asked.

"Yes, blood squirting mess as the heart tries in vain to pump life giving blood to the brain that isn't there anymore," Rupert said.

"EEWWWWW!" all three teens said.

"You still want to be involved?" Ian asked.

"Yes, I have to protect her, no matter the cost," Buffy said, her voice quiet.

"Ok."

"Just don't lose your head, Mister," Buffy said fiercely and surprised Ian by hugging him.

"I shall endeavour to avoid that, Buffy. Now you three should be heading to class," Ian said.

"Oh, Buffy, I almost forgot, there's a blood delivery at the hospital tonight,"

"Right," Buffy said.

"Why is that important?" Xander asked.

"Vampire take out," Buffy said.

"Ohhh! Gotcha," Xander said.

"Just don't be late, Buffy," Giles said.

"I won't," she said and headed out of the library with Willow and Xander before anything else came up.

As the three teens left the library Sunnydale's finest entered it.

Buffy was surprised to see Ian and Angel at the hospital when she arrived. Their faces were serious and she frowned as she approached them.

"Ah...Buffy. Excellent. Right on time."

"Where's Giles?" she asked.

"He received some bad news today. An old friend of his was found dead last night," Ian said.

"This week is just getting better and better," she said, sighing.

"Yes...it hasn't been a very good few days for anyone it seems," Angel said.

"Has he told you about Katrina?" Buffy asked Angel.

"He's filled me in, though I don't like it," Angel said.

"It's the only way," Ian said.

"Except for all of the Immortals getting together and saying we aren't chopping each others heads off anymore," Buffy said.

"And that has worked so well for the rest of humanity," Ian said dryly, then grinned mischievously and added, "In fact I think that Mr. Thorpe was finishing the unit on the First World War wasn't he Buffy?"

"Yes he did, but what does that have to do with your crazy head chopping off thing?"

"Wilson's Fourteen Points, particularly the fourteenth," Ian said.

"What does the League of Nations have to...oh..." she said.

"How do you do that?" Angel asked.

"Do what?"

"Make people think," Angel said.

"It's a gift," Ian said with easy nonchalance.

"So did Ian have you wearing a dunce cap a lot?" Buffy asked.

"Please, Buffy. Liam was an excellent student," Ian said.

"I had to be otherwise he'd have skewered me," Angel said.

"Skewered you?" Buffy asked glad for a happy conversation topic while they waited.

"He had me do my lessons while we were sparring," Angel said.

"In Latin," Ian added.

"In Latin?" Buffy said, grinning.

"I was twelve," Angel said.

"I wish I could have seen that," she said.

"I have a spare sword," Ian said.

"Oh no...I'm not your pupil anymore, make Buffy do it," Angel said.

"What!?" Buffy shouted in mock indignation.

"That really isn't a bad idea," Ian said.

"Wait...you aren't serious, are you?"

"It focuses the mind wonderfully," Angel said.

"Yes it does," Ian said.

"I am so going to get you for this," she said severely.

"I'm sure Liam is just trembling in fear of your vengeance, Buffy, but lesson recital will have to wait, we just went on the clock," Ian said as the van pulled up.

"I can't believe you guys had me recite Wilson's Fourteen Points over and over while we were fighting," Buffy said, indignant.

"Yes, but you won't ever forget them, now will you?" Angel asked.

"Not likely," she replied.

"Are you heading home?" Angel asked.

"Not yet, I want to see how Giles is doing. He did lose a friend," Buffy said.

"I understand. Do you want me to come with?" the vampire asked.

"No...this is Watcher/Slayer stuff," Buffy said.

"I'll come with you to his flat, then Buffy since I was planning on checking on him myself," Ian said.

"Ok," Buffy said then turned to Angel and kissed him. "I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Looking forward to it," Angel said.

Buffy and Ian got into his car and Ian began the drive to Giles' place. They sat in light silence for a while then Buffy spoke, "How did Giles's friend die?"

"He was strangled," Ian said, his voice flat.

"Any suspects yet?" Buffy asked.

"The police don't have any suspects at all," Ian said.

"How did the police know to come to Giles?"

"Philip had his name and address on him when he was killed."

"Giles tell you this?" Buffy asked.

"He called me from the morgue after he identified the body," Ian said.

"Who would want to hurt him?" Buffy asked.

"That is what the police are working on," Ian said.

"Why was Philip at the school?"

"I don't know," Ian said after a moment's hesitation.

"But you have a theory," Buffy said as they pulled into the parking lot of Giles's flat.

"I have suspicions," he said.

"But you aren't going to tell me," Buffy said.

"It isn't for me to tell, this is Rupert's story, If I'm right," Ian said as he opened the door. They walked up to Giles's apartment in silence. They knocked and Giles opened the door.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, sounding distracted.

"That's what we were going to ask you. I'm sorry about Phillip," Buffy said.

"Oh...Ian told you?" Giles said.

"Yes, and if you need anything just ask," Buffy said.

"Thank you, but right now, I just need some time to myself," Giles said.

"We can have a memorial for him, or a wake or something," Buffy said, her last words awkward.

"I appreciate the thought Buffy, but I'll be fine. Honest," Giles said.

"Ok, but I'm holding you to that!" she said.

"I would expect nothing less," Giles said chuckling.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Ian said.

"Tomorrow's Saturday," Giles said.

"Yes, but I figured you'd be there to talk to Miss Calendar," Ian said.

"Ian, I hardly think this is a good time for me to be thinking about my romantic life," Giles said and casting a glare at Buffy as she made a disgusted face.

"Rupert, the last thing you want to do is shut her out of your pain. If you intend on something actually happening other than monster trucks, that is," Ian said as Buffy choked on a snicker.

"I'm so glad you still find that amusing," Giles said sounding long suffering.

"Still, you should talk to her," Ian said.

"I'll think about it, now I do have some calls to make," Giles said, and closed the door.

"That went well. Now what is he worried about?" Buffy asked.

Buffy hated being at school on a Saturday, but she knew Giles was worried about something and she needed to find out what was going on. He'd been too much of a help and comfort during her time as the Slayer. She hated to think it, but he was more a father to her than her actual father and now he was in trouble of some kind, she just knew it in spite of Ian's assurances, he just wasn't convincing and knew more about what was going on than he let on. Part of her was glad that Giles wouldn't be going through whatever it was by himself, then there was the part of her that was annoyed that Giles didn't want to tell her and Ian was abetting his doing so.

She was headed to his office to see if there were any clues since the two adults were in Ian's office. She turned into the library and saw someone go into Giles's office. Frowning she silently moved over to the door, and looked at him and recognized him as the owner of the costume shop she bought the Jeanie costume on Halloween.

"Hi! Do you give refunds?" she asked perkily.

"What!" Ethan said startled. "You!"

"I think this time that ought to be my line, you little weasel. What are you doing here?"

"Snooping around, actually. I was also hoping to run into Rupert. You wouldn't know where he is would you?" Ethan asked.

Buffy punched him and picked him up in a fireman carry and said, "Let's go to the Principal's office."

"I think I'm a bit old for that to be a real threat, girl," Ethan said.

"Giles is there, along with the Principal, I think they'll be pleased to see you. Now how do you know GIles?"

"Why should I say anything?" Ethan asked, and Buffy let his head bang into a locker intentionally.

"How's that for a reason?" she asked sweetly.

"Hardly what I would call compelling," Ethan said and Buffy let his head hit another locker, causing him to scream in pain.

"There's about fifty of those between here and the Principal's office, compelling enough for you?" Buffy asked.

"You've made your point, I am old chums with old Rupert. You might say we raised some real Hell when we were younger," Ethan said.

"Now was that so hard?" she asked as she let his head hit another locker.

"Hey! I answered your question!" he complained.

"Oops."

"You are sure it is Eyghon?" Ian asked.

"It fits, Ian," Giles said.

"Any ideas on how to deal with it?" Ian said taking a sip of his tea.

"I'll have to do some research, its been so long," Giles said.

"I understand. At least you learned your lesson the first time around," Ian said.

"Yes, but it seems to be biting me in the arse now," Giles replied as Buffy burst into the Principal's office with a man on her shoulders.

"Hi guys! Giles you have GOT to fumigate your office, the rats are getting SO big in there," she said as she dumped Ethan onto the floor.

"Ethan," Giles said.

"Ripper! So good to see you!"

"Ripper?" Buffy asked.

Giles ignored the question and looked down at Ethan, "I thought I told you to get out of town."

"So you did, but the lease on the shop was paid up through the end of this month," Ethan said.

"You've been having the dreams too?" Ian asked.

"Oh...crap. It's you," Ethan said.

"I take it you three know each other," Buffy said.

"Yes, we do," Giles said, his voice low.

"Rupert, don't," Ian said his tone filled with warning.

"He a threat, Ian. He's always been one."

"True, he is, but he isn't worth it, lad," Ian said.

"Worth what?" Buffy asked.

"Ripper wants to kill me," Ethan said matter-of-factly.

"What?!"

"Can't really say I blame him really, I have been a bit of a pain in his arse since we were schoolmates," Ethan said.

"Her being here is all that is keeping you alive," Giles said.

Then the door smashed in and Phillip walked in and it reached for Ethan only to get hit in the face by Buffy, knocking the animated corpse back out into the hallway. Buffy followed.

"Slayer, interesting allies Rupert and Ethan have, be seeing you!" the corpse said and left.

Jenny, Cordelia, Willow and Xander came running up just as the demon inhabiting Philip's body ran.

"Was that a dead guy running out of the school?" Cordelia asked.

"Yes, it was, Miss Chase," Ian said.

"EWWW! It touched my locker! I need disinfectant!" the cheerleader squealed.

"Ok, coming to school today wasn't all bad at all just to see that," Xander said with a grin on his face.

"Giles!" Buffy said ignoring Xander's comment. "What was that thing?"

"You have to go after it Buffy, it will be looking for another host to occupy!"

"I need you to tell me what it is first, Giles!"

"I had hoped..." Giles said.

"Rupert, you need to tell her what we are dealing with," Ian said.

"Giles, I need you now. I need you to be Giles, you're scaring me," Buffy said.

"It was a long time ago, and I was an idiot. Thought I knew everything," Giles said and Buffy started to open her mouth but Ian put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

"We were so sure we could control it and...I'm so sorry you had to be dragged into this," Giles said.

"How do we stop it?" Buffy asked.

"It is going to be looking for a new host, it can reside in dead bodies, but the power of the demon is too much and it greatly accelerates the decay process. It will try to find a living host, but it can only possess a living being if that person is unconscious," Giles said.

"So this thing is going to be looking like anyone?" Buffy asked.

"Yes it can hide in anyone, once they are unconscious," Giles said.

"So this thing only has to find someone that is asleep?" Willow asked.

"No, asleep isn't enough, they have to be drugged or knocked out," Giles said.

"Which means it's going to beat the crap of someone and take them over, right?" Buffy asked.

"Well its not so simple to knock someone out without killing them or giving them a serious injury. Eyeghon will want a host that is in good health," Giles said.

"Why is that?" Buffy asked.

"If the proper binding rituals aren't observed, Eyeghon will be able manifest through the body, if that happens it will grow only more powerful," GIles said.

"So its going to be picky," Buffy said.

"Yes," Giles said.

Then Ian turned his head, and said, "Not now!"

Outside the school and just out of range of being able to feel him Katrina watched the school when what appeared to be a corpse came running. Seeing a chance to take out her frustration on a walking corpse she charged and Eyeghon looked at her in surprise then smiled and charged her. Katrina's fist hit his face first and while strong, the Slayer's punch had been more impressive, but not by much. The demon ripped up a parking block by the rebar knocked Katrina down, she hit her head hard and the heavy weight of the concrete broke her ribs one of which pierced her heart killing her.

The demon looked at her and removed the concrete, then Philips body liquified and Katrina got up and walked away.

"Ian?" Giles asked.

"We've got trouble," he said.

"Who is the woman, Ian?" Buffy asked.

"Katrina," Ian said.

"Great," Buffy said.

"Is that Ian's ex?" Willow asked.

"Yes it is and...where's Ethan?" Ian asked.

"That little creep!"

"Its going to go after Ethan, it'll go for who it thinks is more vulnerable," Giles said, his voice quiet.

"What was that thing?" Jenny asked.

"A mistake from my misspent youth," Giles said rubbing his forehead.

"You summoned that thing?" Jenny asked.

"Twenty years ago, I thought we'd had gotten rid of it, but it doesn't seems like it took," he said.

"And now its back killing everyone that was involved," Buffy said.

"And stopping it won't be easy," Ian said.

"So research time. While you guys are doing that, I'm going to check the costume shop for Ethan," Buffy said.

"I'll come with you," Giles said, standing up.

"No, you need to stay here and help figure this out," Buffy said and left the library leaving her Watcher obviously torn in what to do.

"She has a point, Rupert," Ian said putting a hand on Giles' shoulder.

"What's the big? She's in Mr. Stone's ex's body right? If we kill her she gets up in what ten minutes, in the meantime the demon has no place to go, right?" Xander said.

"Xander! She's an innocent!" Jenny said sharply.

"She's hardly an innocent, Miss Calendar," Ian said then turned to Xander, "Clever thought, Mr. Harris but it won't work, it likes dead bodies, no we have to tempt it out somehow," Ian said.

"Remind me never to break up with you, Mr. Stone," Jenny said, her tone cold.

"Jenny, there's more to that than you know," Giles said.

"And what was that about getting up in ten minutes? How would that be possible unless the demon is still in there?"

"Its a long story, Jenny," Giles said.

"And its mine to tell, and quite frankly enough people know about it at this point, no offense," Ian said.

"Well excuse me Mr. Stone, but if I'm going to be any help in cleaning up Rupert's mess I need to know everything involved," Jenny said.

"Not this you don't, suffice it to say Mr. Harris is right about her recuperative powers," Ian said.

"Rupert, do you trust him?" Jenny said without her eyes leaving Ian.

"With my life," Giles said.

"Well let's hope your judgement has improved since you summoned that thing," she said harshly.

"Hey! It was twenty years ago, Ms Calendar!" Willow said.

"Sorry, Rupert, that was uncalled for," Jenny said.

"No, I deserved it. I've said worse to myself since I saw Philip in the morgue," Giles said.

"We need to get to work. Ideas?" Ian said.

"It might help if we knew what Eyegon's goals are," Willow said.

"Rupert?" Ian asked.

"I don't really know that much about it, I was sixteen when we did this and we really weren't interested in its motivations," Giles said.

"Shame we can't just do an exorcism on it," Cordelia said.

"Oh yeah, just what I want, pea soup spit at me while its head turns around, thank you for that image, Cordelia," Xander said.

"I'm not seeing you come up with any ideas, oh wait, you'd need a brain for that," Cordelia shot back.

"That's it! I'm not taking any more of this!" Xander said getting up and putting up his fists.

"Mr. Harris, sit down before you embarrass yourself anymore than you already have," Ian said.

"Yes, Mr. Stone is right, we have work to do, now as much as it pains me to admit it, Cordelia might be onto something," Willow said.

"Willow you feeling alright?" Xander said putting a hand to his longtime friend's forehead, "No, no fever."

"All three of you have made excellent points about this, we need to get the demon out, where it will die, but convincing it to do so isn't going to be easy. Exorcisms are time consuming and dangerous, and Eyegon isn't going to want to leave Katrina's body, which means that knowing what its long term goals are would be useful," Giles said.

"So allow me to recommend this division of labor, Ms. Calendar and Miss Chase research exorcism rites and see if they can find an effective and safe one. Mr. Harris and Miss Rosenberg can research the demon's motives beyond killing Rupert and Ethan. Rupert and I will see if is anyway to destroy the demon without getting it out of Katrina," Ian said.

"Sounds like a solid plan," Giles said and the group got to work.

Buffy entered the shop while it was still light. She looked around alert for any possible danger. She let the door close and walked deeper into the shop. "Ethan?!" she called out.

"Right here, luv. Ripper send you?" Ethan asked.

"I came myself," she said.

"Nice to know someone cares," he said, his tone dry.

"Don't flatter yourself, you stay alive, Giles stays alive. That makes for a happy Buffy," she said.

Ethan chuckled, "He'd have shagged you twenty years ago."

"Ewwww! Are you trying to get me to want to kill you for some reason?" Buffy asked.

"Not really, but its true. You are very much like Deidre. How she didn't end up with Ripper's lov-ack!" Ethan said and then stopped when Buffy picked him up by the chin, though she didn't lift far enough to be anything but painful.

"Listen you weasel, I'm not here to hear about GIles's misspent youth or anything to do with his...ugh!" Buffy's voice was very low.

"His sex life?" Ethan volunteered, though his voice was strained.

"Do you have a death wish?" she asked setting him down.

"Oh come on, you are no killer. Not of humans anyway, no matter how despicable they may be," Ethan said.

"You don't know me," she said.

"Pity I don't. I know Ripper and he changed after what happened to us the first time. He'd never condone you killing a human being, and as much as I'm loathe to say it I agree with him," Ethan said.

"Really?" she asked.

"It changes you," Ethan said quietly.

"Ian said the same thing," Buffy said.

"Speaking of the Mick, how is it that he isn't a day older than the last time I saw him?"

"Not my tale to tell, and I doubt he would tell you anything. Now that we've had the small talk let's get down to business, keeping you alive," Buffy said.

"Very well, you are the Slayer, so what do you suggest?"

"Simple you hide behind me when it comes, is there a back entrance?"

"Yes."

"Ok, let's go barricade it so we don't need to worry about it," Buffy said.

"Ladies first," Ethan said and Buffy rolled her eyes but moved towards the rear of the shop. Ethan picked up a loose brick and hit her on the back of the head and into unconsciousness.

.

Buffy woke to a sharp pain on the back of her neck. Opening her eyes she found herself face down and bound.

"Can't get a girl the normal way, Ethan?" she asked, venom dripping from her words.

"Don't flatter yourself, pet. I'm a selfish Chaos worshipping mage, but I never go anywhere I'm not invited. No, just making you a part of mine and Rippers club," Ethan said, his tone reflecting his concentration while he worked with the tattoo gun.

"So you draw the line at rape, but not at leaving me as a sacrifice so you can get away from that thing?" Buffy asked.

"Choices, I'd rather not see you die. You really are a charming young lady. I just like myself a bit more than you," he said as he put the finishing touches on the symbol. "There, all done. I might actually have a future in this business."

"I am so kicking your ass!" Buffy said.

"Temper, temper, it's really not very good for your blood pressure," Ethan said and picked of a bottle labeled acid and Buffy gasped. "Oh will you relax, this is for me, and yes it will sting a bit."

Then Buffy's phone started ringing.

"Buffy should've been back by now," Giles said looking at the clock on the wall.

"Yes, she should have been," Ian agreed.

"Should we look for her?"

"Rupert, join the Twentieth Century," Ian said pulling out a cell phone out of his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Giles asked.

"Calling her, it's why I gave it to her in the first place you know," Ian said.

"You know how to use one of those infernal things?" Giles asked.

"Yes, I swear, once this is done I'm locking you in a room with Miss Calendar and let her beat that luddite tendency out of you," Ian said.

"Sounds fun!" Jenny said.

"Oh dear lord," Giles said, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes.

"On second thought you might not learn a darn thing, but beatings might still be involved," Ian said with a smirk.

"Ian!" Giles said, scandalized.

"Wow...you weren't this easy to embarrass when you were in school," Ian said, sounding delighted.

"You mean he hasn't been this uptight his whole life?" Jenny said smiling at the exchange.

"He did summon Eyeghon in his youth, Miss Calendar," Ian said as he pressed send on the phone.

"What is that?" Ethan asked as happy sounding chirping sounded from Buffy's pocket.

"My phone," Buffy said.

"Will wonders never cease...the Council parting with some money for the Slayer," Ethan said as he continued to bandage his arm.

"It went to voicemail," Ian said, concerned.

"She's in trouble," Giles said standing up.

"Go, we'll finish up here," Ian said, just as excited noises started coming from Willow.

"I've got it! I've got to make a call then we need to find Buffy!" she cried out and ran over to the phone.

"Impressive kids, Rupert," Ian said.

"Yes they are," Giles said sounding proud.

"Now what?" Buffy asked.

"We wait," Ethan said simply.

"Great, think you could let me loose so I'd have a fighting chance?" Buffy asked sweetly.

"Not a chance, you'd beat me to a bloody pulp," Ethan said.

"Aw, you aren't afraid of lil ol me, are you?" Buffy said.

"I have more sense than that, luv," Ethan said.

Then Eyeghon/Katrina burst into the shop and started toward Buffy as she struggled to free herself.

"Interesting, all tied up," it said as it approached Buffy as the demon bent over to kill Buffy her arms came up and boxed the demon in the ears.

"Slayer," the demon said.

"Yup, now you die," Buffy said.

"Oh please you can't kill me without killing the innocent," Eyeghon taunted.

"Trust me, she's not that innocent, besides, she'll bounce back," Buffy said as she started pounding Eyeghon's face. The demon took it for a bit then backhanded her and Buffy flew into the wall, hitting it hard. She winces as Ian, Giles and the scoobies show up.

"Rupert, long time no see," the demon said as he advanced on the staggered slayer.

Giles moved between the demon and his charge. "You will not hurt her!"

"So noble. Very well, if you are so anxious to be first," the demon hit Giles twice in the head once left once right knocking him cold.

"Giles!" Buffy screamed as the demon stood over him.

"I've waited a long time for this," Eyeghon said then a shadow fell on the wall. The demon turned and smiled.

"Vampire," it said.

"Last time I checked. Understand you like scrapping with vampires," Angel said.

"Angel, be careful!" Buffy said, still not quite on her feet.

"This is too good an opportunity to pass up," Eyeghon said and a dark shape flowed from Katrina to Angel. The struggle inside the Vampire began then the demon screamed.

"The light! No not the light!" the demon's voice sounded from Angel's mouth. Then it was over.

"Yes! I was right!" Willow said.

"I don't understand," Buffy said as she looked over Giles's injuries.

"Eyeghon hates vampires, Buffy and has wanted to take over a vampire body for ages because they can hold it better than an ordinary corpse and it wouldn't have to hide from a living body's soul," Willow said.

"And I have both, a pissed off demon looking for a fight and soul to burn the demon to figurative ash," Angel said.

"What about Katrina?" Buffy asked Ian.

"Not here," Ian said simply.

"What's with the Mick and the demon carriage?" Ethan asked.

"You still here?" Buffy asked.

"Right, going now," Ethan said.

"The poor dear," Jenny said, kneeling near Katrina.

"Jenny, stay away from her," Ian warned.

"Mr. Stone, have some human compassion. I don't know why you broke up with her, but she's been through an awful experience!"

"She's dangerous and she'll recover soon, I suggest you all are gone when she does," Ian said.

"You too, Giles needs medical attention," Buffy said.

Ian considered this, "You're right, she can wait."

"Wait? You're talking like she's a demon Buffy needs to kill," Jenny said.

Ian sighed and shook his head.

"She needs to know the truth, Ian. She won't let it go," Buffy said.

"Damnit, she won't believe it until she sees it," Ian said.

"Mom did," Buffy said.

"Your mother is an extraordinary person who'd just been exposed to the supernatural and is still learning the rules. Miss Calandar knows about the supernatural and will require proof," Ian said.

"Keep saying things like that about her I might just let her keep you," Buffy said with a smile as Giles came to.

"Rupert!" Jenny shouted.

"Did we win?" he asked.

"We won," Buffy confirmed helping him up then another moan rose.

"Luck of the Irish indeed," Ian swore.

"Gde ya?" Katrina said.

"Huh?" Xander asked.

"It's Russian, Mr. Harris," Ian said and turned to Giles, "How are you feeling?"

"Like a deranged monkey has decided that my head makes the perfect set of bongo drums," GIles said.

"We should go before she fully comes to," Ian said.

"She needs to go to the hospital!" Jenny said.

"Not unless you mean the psych ward," Buffy said.

"Buffy!" Jenny said.

"Sorry, not sympathetic with the ex girlfriend that wants to kill my mother for going on ONE date with Ian," Buffy said heading to the door.

"I don't understand any of you," Jenny said.

"We'll explain at school." Giles said.

"Oh come on...I want to see this," Katrina said sitting up.

"Cac," Ian said, lapsing into his native Gaelic.

"Such language in front of the children, Ríoghbhardán," Katrina said sounding amused.

"Our business is for later," he said.

"Gee, go to all of this effort to save me just to take my head, Ríoghbhardán, I'm hurt," Katrina said.

"Taking her head?"

"Shall we give them a show? We aren't on Holy Ground after all," she said pulling a sword from her coat.

"Not now, Katrina," Ian said.

"Tori, is this Katrina?" Angel asked.

"Just how many names do you have?" Jenny asked,

"Too many," Ian said sounding tired, producing his own sword. "We don't have to do this Katrina."

"You issued the challenge, Ríoghbhardán. Backing down?" she said.

"I gave you a chance to walk away again, you are the one that refuses to take it," Ian said as they loosened up for the coming clash.

"People! What is going on!" Jenny shouted.

"Nothing for mortal eyes, Jenny," Giles said solemnly.

"I for one vote we get out of here before these two love birds start their own Ronco commercial," Xander said.

"Yes, you and Willow get Miss Calendar out of here," Buffy said.

"What about you Buffy?" Jenny asked.

"I have to stay in case he can't kill her," Buffy said.

"What?" Jenny shouted.

"Go, Xander, Willow explain to her," Buffy said, looking worried.

"Such loyal pets you have," Katrina said in reaction to the exchange.

"They're people, Katrina. There was a time you knew that," Ian said, sounding sad.

"We are the ones that matter, not them. We will be the ones history remembers!"

"No we won't, Katrina, we hide in the shadows, fighting each other for something that may not even exist! They are the ones building and doing things," Ian said.

"I will miss you, my love," she said and attacked and Ian neatly parried the blow. He counter struck only to have her block his blow. Then they picked up speed as they fought through the shop, energy crackling around their blades, sparking as they battered at each other's defenses. They were both moving very fast, the ringing of steel on steel a continuous sound as each blow struck before the sound of the last dissipated.

The scoobies, Giles, Angel and Jenny watched dumbfounded at the performance and the violence of the battle. The two immortals were almost a blur as spark flew from their blades, a combination of steel sparking on steel and the energies they were putting into their attacks.

Then suddenly it was over, Ian got through her guard and drove his blade into her gut. Katrina fell to her knees as Ian pulled his sword free. She spat blood.

"Do it," she said.

"You can still walk away, Kat," Ian said, sounding sad.

"No, I can't let you be less than you are, and you won't do what is right, you let me live I will kill her for your own good," she said.

"It didn't have to be this way," Ian growled, emotion coloring his voice.

"Yes it did. There can be only one, you know it," she said.

"Goodbye," he said and brought his blade around in a killing stroke. Her head fell off and white energy flowed from the wound and into Ian, at first it was quiet, then the energy of the Quickening began to slam into Ian, bolt after bolt struck him and did considerable collateral damage to the shop.

The mortals in the room ducked as it happened and Ian screamed.

"He did say it would be obvious," Buffy said as a bolt of power destroyed a mannequin head.

"Great gooogly moogly!" Xander said as the seemingly endless light show when on.

"Seconded," Willow said in awe.

Jenny and Giles stood in open mouth shock. Then it was over as Ian was driven to his knees. He was crying and once he was able to move again he hit a display pedestal over and over muttering, "Damnú air!"

Buffy went over to Giles and checked his head. She glanced at over at Ian and Giles nodded. She then went over to her principal and hugged him and he clung to her as he rode the emotions from the fight and the aftermath. They stayed like that for a few minutes then she helped him up and led him over to Angel.

"Take him home, I'm going to look after Giles," she said.

"Of course, I'll come back and take care of the body," Angel said quietly.

Buffy then turned to Jenny and said, "I trust you understand that this is not a matter for Sunnydale's finest?"

"I still want an explanation, but I think that can wait," she said.

"Good," Buffy said then turned to Giles. "Let's get you home."

"Buffy!" Jenny said, and the Slayer turned to the teacher, her face impassive. "I'll take him."

Buffy nodded and they all left the shop with Willow and Xander.

Buffy stopped in the library Monday morning and found Giles in his office staring out the window. She rapped on the door frame and said, " How are you doing?"

"Ashamed," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"For not being who I wanted you to think I was," he said.

"Poor Giles, just one of us lowly humans," she deadpanned.

"I really didn't want you brought into that mess," he said.

"Wasn't your decision," she said quietly.

"Yes it was, not that you've got a stellar record of listening to me. It couldn've been much worse. It could've gotten any of you. I got lucky," Giles said, self loathing coloring his tone.

"Still not your call," she said her voice still low.

"You keep saying that," he said.

"Cause I'm right. I was involved because I was worried about you. You're family, I had to be involved cause if I wasn't you'd be dead or worse now," Buffy said her voice rising just a little.

He turned and looked at her, "I'm sorry, Buffy."

"There's nothing to forgive," she said and turned and poured him some tea. "Now drink this and forget it. Its over now."

"You wanted to see me Mr. S?" Xander said poking his head into Ian's office.

"Yes I did Mr. Harris, closed the door please and sit down," Ian said.

"So quite the light show you and the former missus put on, Saturday," Xander said.

"Quite. I wanted to tell you how impressed I was with Miss Chase, Miss Rosenberg and you Saturday," Ian said.

"I didn't do much, Willow did it all," Xander said with a smirk.

"You sell yourself short, Mr. Harris. You have a good head on your shoulders and this isn't the first time you've helped Buffy is it?" Ian asked.

"Its not much, but I gotta do something," Xander said.

"Its more than you realize. I understand you are responsible for Buffy being here today," Ian said.

"What do yo mean?" Xander asked.

"The Master's cave."

"Oh, that! Yeah, but its what anyone would've done in that situation," Xander said.

"No it isn't. Liam wasn't going to go until you dragged him down to the Master's lair. You made that happen," Ian said.

"Liam?" Xander asked.

"Angel," Ian clairified.

"OH! I guess I did kick Deadboy in the ass that night, but still not special," Xander said getting embarrassed.

"Its more than you know, lad," Ian said and reached into a drawer and pulled out a brick of money.

"What is that?" Xander asked.

"That is a thousand seven hundred dollars. Its an allowance on the trust I have set up in your name. You won't be able to touch the rest of the money until you are eighteen and successfully complete high school. There will be deposits made into it at the rate of $100 and hour of research on the supernatural, also a thousand dollars on each vampire you slay in a safe manner. I don't want you to be reckless, but you deserve to be compensated for your efforts in the fight. You'll receive ten percent of your earnings immediately and the rest goes into the trust. This is the ten percent I have calculated you are owed, plus a five thousand dollar bonus for saving Buffy's life. I know it isn't enough, but I can't kill the golden goose trying to reward you properly," Ian said.

"Wow...uh...I don't know what to say," Xander said, stunned.

"There is nothing to say, lad. You earned this," Ian said.

"That...that means a lot," he said quietly.

"You better get back to class," Ian said.

Xander stood and started for the door then stopped and turned and said, " I love Buffy."

"Not sure I'm the one you should be telling," Ian said.

"I need advise. Its all Angel all the time with her and I all I can see is a huge train wreck. I go on about how he's evil and that, but that's more just trying to shock Buffy into thinking about things with him," Xander said.

"If you say so," Ian said.

"Ok...you got me, its also fun making fun of him," Xander said.

"That's more like a sixteen year old," Ian said.

"Do you have any advice?" the scooby asked.

"I do, you won't like it though," Ian said.

"I need something, Mr. Stone," Xander said.

"Be her friend. That's all you can be right now so be the best one you can be. Don't beat up too much on Angel especially in front of her."

"You really know how to suck the joy out of life, don't you?" Xander asked.

"You asked. Liam is like a son to me, but I'm not blind to his faults," Ian said.

"So did he brood that well when he was a kid?"

"He didn't brood at all, at least not until his mother was killed. In fact he was a lot like you," Ian said.

"Now there's no reason to be insulting," Xander said.

"None intended, lad. No, Angel has been through far more than anyone should have to go through. I just wish I had been able to kill him after he'd been turned. Anyway enough about Liam. You need to focus on being Buffy's friend. And go out with someone once in awhile. A good looking lad like you should have the girls lining up to date you," Ian said.

"Yeah, only if they want to be labeled loser," Xander said.

"And why would they be?"

"Because I am one," Xander said sadly.

"Come by the library early tomorrow. We need to work on your confidance and training with Buffy will help with that," Ian said.

"Train with Buffy? She won't like that," Xander said.

"Well she'll just have to learn to like it. I won't pay you to help if you aren't being properly instructed in the work. The same goes for Miss Rosenberg and Miss Chase," Ian said.

"Ok, just so long as she yells at you," Xander said with a grin and left Ian to his thoughts.

_Fin_


End file.
